


Degrees of Freedom

by PinkZebraStripes



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Romance, Slow Burn, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-06-08 09:13:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 30,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15240141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PinkZebraStripes/pseuds/PinkZebraStripes
Summary: You're hired as a recent transfer to the Detroit Police Department with Gavin Reed as your new partner. Teaming up with Hank and Connor, you take on cases in hopes to solve and understand deviancy.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've decided to put all my tumblr writings onto here (@sleepydaydreamz)
> 
> Important Note: In gameplay, the main story takes place all in one week. I’m going to extend this time period because I feel like seven days is a bit of a rush when it comes to character development and main events.

You drummed your fingers nervously against the steering wheel of your car as you pulled into the Detroit City Police parking garage. It was your first day as detective, having just been transferred from a few counties over. Although you didn’t really want to move, the pay was better and you had wanted to become a detective ever since you graduated from the academy.

As you spotted an empty parking spot on your right, a car with a loud engine roared throughout the parking lot. An old black Camaro erratically pulled out from behind you and took the vacant space.

“What the fuck!” you hissed as a man wearing a brown leather jacket came out. He smirked as he walked passed your car, shrugging his shoulders in mock apology. You kept your glare on him until he was out of sight, mumbling curses under your breath.

Another two floors up, you found an empty slot and finally parked your car. You looked into the rearview mirror and checked your appearance, brushing back any fly-away hairs that managed to escape. Forcing a smile onto your face, you got out of the car and headed to the main entrance as you tried to escape the early morning rain.

The familiar sounds of phones ringing and people arguing welcomed you as you walked over to the receptionist. There were android receptionists back at your old precinct, but you still did a double take every time you saw one. Their human-like movements and facial expressions were hard to distinguish, the only give-away being the LED light on the right side of their temple.

“Hello,” you smiled as you greeted the receptionist. The female android looked up at you with a pleasant face as your eyes searched for her name but only saw their model type. You were unused to seeing the assigned letters and numbers; back at your old station, everyone made a point to assign an android a name so there wouldn’t be any confusion.

“Hello, how may I help you today?” questioned the android.

“I’m here to see Captain Fowler, it’s my first day,” you explained, also giving your first and last name. The LED light turned yellow as the android silently processed your information.

“Clearance has been granted. Captain Fowler is waiting for you in his office,” she responded, gesturing toward the entrance on the right. You thanked the android and made your way into the main headquarters, marveling at how big the place was.

Behind the rows of desks was a fairly sized office made of glass. A tall, bald man sat inside, his eyes focused on the screen in front of him. You recognized him as Captain Jeffrey Fowler, mostly known for busting up notorious Red Ice drug trades in his prime. A swell of pride rose in your chest, realizing that out of all the candidates in the state, he had chosen you out of the many that applied.

As you walked over to his office, you passed by a man around his early fifties arguing with who you assumed to be his partner. They sat at their desks across from each other and you noticed that the man’s partner was actually an android. 

Your breath hitched as you looked at the android, who’s LED was flashing from blue to yellow. Usually, CyberLife made similar looking models according to their job function. However, this android’s face was unrecognizable, having cute, boyish looks and warm brown eyes that made you feel comfortable to be around. The android stopped his conversation and looked up at you, tilting his head to the side. You could feel yourself blush as you had been caught staring longer than necessary. The LED light spun in a yellow circle as you gave the android a quick nod and quickly walked into the captain’s office.

“Ah, our latest addition is here,” said Captain Fowler as he looked up at you from his work. He got up from his chair and you both exchanged firm handshakes. You took a seat in front of him as he turned back to his screen.

“Let’s see…degree in criminal law, passed agency exams with high marks, assisted in multiple homicides…says here you even managed to nab one of the most prominent Red Ice dealers in northern Michigan. I can see why Sydelko didn’t want to let you go,” he acknowledged, referring to your old captain.

“She was a great boss, I really couldn’t have done it without her help,” you replied. Fowler nodded absentmindedly as he directed his attention towards you.

“No need to give me the Miss America answer, you’re better than that,” he started, crossing his arms. “Now, to business. As you know, there have been a string of deviant cases, more coming in everyday in the past couple months than we can handle. You and your partner will help Lieutenant Anderson figure out why these androids are acting outside of their programming,” he said as he gestured toward the man and android you passed by earlier. You took a quick glance and saw the man leaning back in his chair and eating a pink-glazed donut, while the android remained sitting completely still at his desk.

“That reminds me,” said Fowler. He pushed a button to the side of his desk. “Reed, my office, now,” he ordered through the intercom. “Any questions for me before you start?” he asked.

“Well, I’m just a little curious. When did you start assigning androids to cases?” you inquired.

“That one was sent by CyberLife to help us in the deviant cases specifically,” replied Fowler as he pointed to the android outside. “Don’t worry, he’s not your superior. Think of him more as an assistant.” You nodded as you heard the glass door open behind you.

“’Bout fucking time Reed. Meet your new partner, came all the way from Bay County. Try to get along with this one,” added Fowler. You turned around to see the man who had stolen your parking spot earlier.

You grimaced as you stood and shook the man’s hand as you introduced yourself. He looked you up and down, his eyes lingering a little too long for your comfort.  
“We’ve met, actually,” Reed snickered. “Finally found a spot, huh?”

“Yes, no thanks to you,” you scowled. 

Reed gave a dark chuckle and waved her over to him as he exited the office. “Your desk’s this way,” he said.

“Good luck,” sighed Fowler as he turned back to his work. You bit your lip as you reluctantly followed Reed out to the main room.

You noticed that both of your desks sat on the other side of the room to Lieutenant Anderson and his android. Reed took a seat at his desk as you sat opposite to him. Large stacks of tablets took up almost the entire space of your desk.

“What is all this?” you asked. Reed didn’t bother to look as he pulled out his phone.

“All the paperwork that needs to be filed away in evidence. You should probably get started on that or else you’ll be here all day,” he hummed. His phone lit up with the red and green game logo Space Strike as it gave off sound effects of explosions and laser beams.

“You’re not gonna help me?” you asked in disbelief. You knew that coming into a new workplace was going to have its challenges, you just didn’t think it was going to be this bad.

“Well, you see, I have so much work of my own that I need to catch up on. I’m sure you can handle something as easy as filing,” he said, not looking up from his phone. You narrowed your eyes at him, noticing that his desk was practically empty.

“But you’re not even doing anything-” you started but was interrupted as Reed rose from his seat.

“I’m gonna grab some coffee. Kitchen’s over there if you want anything,” he told her without waiting for a response. You clenched your fists under your desk as you took a couple deep breaths to calm yourself.

“Oh, you’re getting coffee? I’d love a cup, so nice of you to ask…asshole,” you muttered to yourself as you took the first tablet off one of the stacks. You groaned as you counted a total of 36 of them.

“Hello, my name is Connor,” came a voice from behind. You turned and saw the android that was with Lieutenant Anderson earlier. “I’m the android sent by CyberLife to help the ongoing cases in android deviancy. I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with Detective Reed. I could get a cup of coffee for you, if you’d like.”  
You raised your eyebrows at his sudden appearance. With him this close, you could see the small freckles that scattered across his nose and a tendril of hair that refused to stay in place. 

“Oh, you don’t have to do that. I’ll get a cup later,” you assured him. “You said your name was Connor, right? That’s a nice name,” you smiled as you stood to introduce yourself and held out your hand. Connor looked at your hand for a moment before shaking it.

“Thank you. I hope you don’t mind, but I checked your file when you arrived. With your background and experience, I am sure we will make a great team. I look forward to working with you,” said Connor with a small smile. Your heart gave an involuntary flip.

“Me too! I mean, I’ve never worked with an android before, so this should be fun! Not that this situation is particularly fun…just that it’s interesting to be working with someone so different…not that that’s a bad thing,” you stumbled over your words, feeling your cheeks heat up. “So, uh, how long have you been working here?” you asked, hoping he would go along with the change of subject.

“I’ve only been assigned to Lieutenant Anderson for about three days, two hours and 52 seconds,” he replied without hesitation. You tried your best to stifle a laugh.

“Cool, so you’re new, like me,” you grinned. “We can be new together!”

“New…together,” repeated Connor quietly as his LED flashed yellow. You nervously scratched the inside of your palm as you looked up at him.

“Well, if you ever need to discuss the case or whatever-,” you started but Lieutenant Anderson’s voice cut you off.

“Let’s go Connor, we have another report about a deviant on Cherry Hill. You comin’ or what?” he yelled as he walked past you.

“Right away, Hank,” reported Connor. He started to follow but stopped and looked at you with a smile.

“It was nice meeting you. I’ll see you later, Detective,” he said. You smiled back and gave him small wave goodbye. 

As you watched them leave the station and let out a deep sigh, eyeing the mountain of paperwork.

It could be worse, you thought to yourself. You spent the rest of the day filing, trying to keep the face of a certain android out of your mind.


	2. Chapter 2

“Hey Shorty, wake up!” yelled a voice into your ear. You jolted awake in your seat as you looked around in confusion.

Gavin Reed looked down at you with a sneer as you rubbed your eyes. The past couple of days had been filled with nothing but filing and organizing his leftover paperwork. He had no problem in dumping his entire workload on you while he socialized with other officers. The thought of telling Captain Fowler of your partner’s behavior had crossed your mind plenty of times, but you refused to say a word. Complaining this early would give Fowler the idea that you couldn’t handle the job and that was the last impression you wanted to give him.

“Call just came in about a homicide involving a deviant. Let’s go, I want to grab this one before Hank and his plastic sidekick get to it first. Hurry up!” barked Gavin as he headed toward the exit. You yawned as you got up and grabbed your coat from your chair. Taking one last gulp of your cold coffee, you followed Gavin into the parking garage who was already starting his car. 

“Come on, any day now!” he yelled from the driver’s seat. You grumbled to yourself as you opened the passenger side and got in, slamming the door closed.

“Hey, watch it! This beauty’s a classic,” said Gavin. You couldn’t help but roll your eyes.

“Yeah, a classic deathtrap. Didn’t they put a recall on these cars because of airbag issues?” you questioned.

“Just put your seatbelt on, you’ll be fine,” he drawled. You gave a long sigh as you snapped your seatbelt in place while he exited the garage. Gavin turned the sirens on as he picked up his speed, blowing through red lights and stop signs.

“So, what exactly are we dealing with here?” you asked as you realized that you were heading in the direction of midtown.

“Call came in from an Abigail Lockwood who claims her android murdered her husband. See for yourself,” he explained as he motioned toward the tablet attached to the dash. You scrolled through the brief report and tapped on the screen to listen to the 911 call.

“‘911, what is your emergency?’” you heard the android operator answer.

“‘You have to help me! My husband’s been stabbed! I got home and found him lying on the ground, he’s not breathing! You have to hurry, please!’” cried the voice of Abigail Lockwood.

“‘I have sent an ambulance and police authorities to your location. Please remain on the line until help arrives,’” the android replied. You turned off the call and inspected the information gathered on the victim and his wife.

“Victim is Warren Lockwood, age 54...architectural designer for the city and co-founder of a couple children’s charities along with his wife. Married to each other for 23 years and no kids. Maybe she took him out for his money and blamed it on the android?” you wondered aloud.

“Sounds like something an android-lover would say,” snorted Gavin.

“Oh fuck off. Don’t pretend like you didn’t think the same thing,” you retorted as Gavin pulled up to a lavish apartment building 20 stories high. A few police cars and a large black van surrounded the entrance.

“What the hell is SWAT doing here?” scoffed Gavin as you both got out of the car. A patrol officer stood behind the yellow tape and waved Gavin in.

“Might want to hurry Reed, the android’s locked itself in a room and you know how patient Allen is,” said the patrol officer, referring to the SWAT captain. Gavin nodded and brushed past the officer as you followed, flashing your ID at him.

“New partner, huh? Maybe you’ll get lucky and this one won’t punch your lights out, eh, Reed?” joked the officer.

“Shut up, Vargas,” retorted Gavin as he flipped him off. You followed Gavin into the apartment lobby and into the elevators, imagining your partner sprawled on the floor after being knocked out.

“What are you smiling at?” demanded Gavin as the elevator doors closed shut.

“Nothing, I just can’t imagine why anyone would want to pick a fight with you. I mean, it’s not like you piss people off on a daily basis or anything,” you said in your sweetest voice. He didn’t have time to respond as the elevator doors opened to an open hallway.

One of your fellow officers, Tina Chen, was comforting a woman who you recognized to be Abigail Lockwood. The woman cried into the officer’s arms, ranting on about how she wished this was all just a horrible nightmare. There were traces of blood on her hands and clothes. You kept walking until you reached an abnormally thick front door to the apartment. You touched it with your hands, measuring it to be about six inches in depth and made out of solid steel.

“Want to tell me what the hell you’re doing here Allen?” asked Gavin as you entered the apartment with him. A man with slicked-back hair was talking to one of the armed SWAT members and grimaced when he saw Gavin. Five other SWAT members stood near the door expectantly, looking at a laser disk the size of a hockey puck slowly burning the lock from the door.

“We’re not done here yet, Reed. Go wait outside and have a smoke or something,” ordered Allen. Gavin made a face and started to bicker with him as you surveyed the room. You glanced at the dead body that had been partially covered with a small, white bed sheet.

The apartment was extremely large, taking up the entire top floor with large windows. You could see a huge marbled kitchen and a spacious living room with two wide-screen televisions. You walked over to the fireplace and saw an array of pictures on the mantle. Most of them were of Warren and Abigail on vacation or shaking the hands of the most influential people in Detroit. 

A smaller frame off to the right held a picture of the couple posing in front of their apartment complex with a boy no older than the age of nine wearing a white shirt and matching pants. You could see a faint blue LED light on the side of his temple.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw a little girl near a windowsill from another apartment complex across the street. Her collection of stuffed animals were neatly lined up and you couldn’t help but smile at her playing. When you thought she was looking in your general direction, you waved at her. She didn’t respond and you couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed. As you turned toward the fireplace, you did a double take and looked at the apartment’s windows. They were covered in a layer of tint, making it impossible for anyone on the outside to look in.

You put the picture down and took a deep breath before walking over to the dead body. You kneeled down and pulled out a spare tissue to pull the sheet back.   
Warren Lockwood stared straight up at the ceiling with glassed over eyes. You observed the multiple stab wounds to his neck and face, both covered in blood. There were also traces of Blue Blood on the victim’s hands and chest. It left a trail toward the door the men were trying to unlock. As you pulled the sheet further away from him, you noticed that his pants were unzipped, revealing stained underwear.

“…I don't need your opinion Reed. I’ve been here for almost an hour and we’re on our last laser disk, all because the victim is the only one who knew the password. Not to mention that CyberLife wants us to return the android in unharmed. Bastards could care less that a human life was taken by one of their pet projects,” spat Allen.

“Is the android in there a YK500 model?” you asked the Captain, recovering the body. He looked over to you, acknowledging you for the first time.

“Yeah, how’d you know that?” questioned Allen. “And, who are you?”

“His new partner,” you answered as you gave him your name. “There’s also a picture of him with the victim and his wife over there,” you gestured toward the fireplace.

“Huh, you’re a lot smarter than Reed makes you out to be,” mused Allen. You shot Gavin a look, but he refused to meet you eyes.

“What’s your plan once you get the door opened?” you asked the captain.

“It’s only a kid model, a simple grab and go should be fine. CyberLife has already sent another android that will be able to shut him down and take him back to the lab. Hopefully they’ll dissect this sick little fuck and find out what’s wrong with him.” You winced at the insult.

“Would it be possible if I talked to him? Judging by all the Blue Blood on the floor, it’s possible it could be severely damaged-” you started but Gavin cut you off.

“Him? It’s an it, as in not human,” he said harshly.

“Him, it, whatever, that android was programmed to have the mind of a child,” you explained. “Having a team full of masked men raid his room is going to make him self-destruct, leaving you to explain to CyberLife why he was damaged. Not to mention all the paperwork…” you trailed off, hoping they would get the hint.

The sound of the laser disk clattering to the ground made everyone’s head turn. Smoke sizzled from the door lock, leaving a stench in the air. Allen looked back at you with pursed lips.

“Alright rookie, you think you can handle it? Go ahead, but if you fuck up, it’s all on your head, not mine, we clear?”

“Crystal,” you replied as you walked toward the door. It was just as thick as the one in the entrance, if not more.

You slowly opened it to a room painted light blue with stickers of planes and old-fashioned automobiles pasted across the wall. A twin-sized bed with a missing sheet stood in the corner along with a painter’s easel and an opened chest of expensive-looking toys. Wooden letters that spelled the name “Alex” hung over the bed frame.

“Who are you? Go away!” yelled a voice from the opposite corner. The android was curled into a ball and looked no more than nine-years old, dressed in pajamas with an old cartoon character on it. He looked at you through bright green eyes as Blue Blood dripped from his nose and ears, clutching a small butter knife in his hands.

“Your name is Alex, right?” you asked in your softest voice as your eyes flitted to the hung letters. “That’s my brother’s name. You kinda look like him too,” you said as you kneeled onto the floor and gave him your first name. “Are these your toys? Would it be alright if I looked at them?”

The android didn’t respond, his LED light flashing back and forth from red to yellow. You took advantage of his silence and pulled out the first toy from the top of the pile.

“Wow, you have Wonder Woman? She was my favorite when I was your age. I wanted to be just like her,” you explained. “Which one do you like the most?” Alex continued to remain silent, but his grip on the knife had lessened.

“Let’s see…there’s Spider Man, Batman, even Super Man! He’s the one who shoots lasers from his hands right?” you quizzed him.

“N-no…he shoots lasers from his eyes,” Alex whispered. You nodded in agreement as you kept an eye on his LED.

“You’re right! Here, you’ll be Super Man and I’ll be Wonder Woman,” you grinned as you set the toys in front of you. “But we’re going to need a bad guy…how about this one?” You picked a random toy from the box and showed it to him.

“No, that’s Ghost Rider, he’s a good guy,” Alex explained as he crawled to you. He set down the knife and pulled out another figurine from the chest.

“Use this one,” he said as he handed you an action figure of a bald man wearing a green mecha suit.

“What’s his name? Does he have any superpowers?” you asked.

“That’s Lex Luthor. He builds things and he’s really smart. He hates Super Man,” he whispered.

“Why does he hate him?”

“Because he can fly and has super strength. He’s jealous,” he sniffled as he bit his lower lip. Tears started to form around Alex’s eyes, threatening to spill at any moment.

“But Super Man always saves the day,” you reminded him. “People love him because he does the right thing.” Alex didn’t respond as he clutched the Super Man figurine to his chest.

“Super Man doesn’t kill people though. Only bad guys do that,” he mumbled. “Am I a bad guy?” Your heart broke at the sound of his voice as you tried to steady your voice.

“No, Alex. You are not a bad guy. You were defending yourself. It’s not your fault.” His LED stayed at yellow as it spun in a circle.

“They’re going to take me away. I don’t want to be shut down. Don’t let them take me,” he pleaded as he ran into your arms. You sat in shock as you slowly wrapped your arms around him and stroked his head. It was amazing how human-like he was, down to the smell of his hair and the warmth of his skin. His tears rolled down your back as you picked him up and walked out of the room.

Allen opened his mouth to say something, but you quickly shook your head and put a finger to your mouth. He nodded as he stepped aside to reveal a female android. She raised her hand to Alex’s forehead, her skin disappearing and exposing the white metal underneath.

As soon as she made contact, Alex’s LED light turned red before completely shutting off entirely. His body went limp in your arms and you handed him over to the android. As she took him out of the apartment, you rubbed your eyes trying to cover any of your own tears that were threatening to spill out.

“Are you seriously crying over that tin can? You’re going to need tougher skin than that if you’re going to work as a detective,” criticized Allen.

“I don’t care if he was an android, no one deserves to be treated like that!” you snapped. “He was a prisoner, not their son-”

“Alright, time for us to go,” interrupted Gavin as he grabbed your shoulder. “You need to cool off,” he said as he forced you out of the apartment. You struggled at first, but let him guide you into the elevators and out of the lobby.

“Insensitive piece of shit, he didn’t even care that the victim was a fucking pedophile!” you ranted as you both got into the car. “He’s excusing Lockwoods’ behavior because he was human and the boy was an android! I bet if Alex were human, he wouldn’t-"

“Enough!” yelled Gavin as he slammed his hands on the steering wheel. You jumped in your seat at the sudden noise.

“You’re right,” he sighed as he started the car and pulled out into traffic. “I hate the plastic pricks, but this one…I dunno, let’s just be happy there’s one less sick fuck in this world.”

You looked at Gavin and realized this was the first time he had ever said anything remotely nice to you. You turned away from him and looked at the window as he drove you back to the station in silence.


	3. Chapter 3

You grumbled at the sound of your alarm as you swiped it to ‘off’ on your phone. The white numbers read 6:00am and you cursed yourself for volunteering to come in to work a few extra hours. 

Think of the money, you reminded yourself. The house you were living in was a one-bedroom, one-bath, with a moderate sized living room and small kitchen located about fifteen miles away from the station. The area wasn’t the greatest, but you were learning to call it home. It was affordable with your salary, but a little added income wouldn’t hurt. 

After showering, you put on a pair of dark blue jeans along with a white, long-sleeved shirt and your favorite military jacket with leather sleeves. You quickly ate a bowl of cereal and slipped on a pair of black boots, hoping to beat the morning traffic.

Twenty minutes later, you pulled into the parking garage and jogged into the building. Waving hello and saying a few good mornings to your co-workers, you sat at your desk and cracked your knuckles in anticipation. The faster you got this done, the faster you would be able to go home and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

A couple hours passed and you had managed to finish almost everything. Evidence from the Lockwood case was stored away downstairs along with a copy of the finalized report. The only thing left was for you and Gavin to sign it. You took a look at your phone and saw the text messages you sent to him were unread. Even after calling him three times, there was still no response. You scowled in frustration at your partner’s behavior, wishing you could work with someone else instead.

As you signed your initials on the tablet along with your thumbprint, a voice called out your name from behind you. You spun around in your chair as Connor walked up to your desk.

“Good morning Detective. How are you doing today? I thought you had the weekend off,” he said. You gave a wide smile at the android. Maybe coming into work on a Saturday wasn’t so bad after all.

“I’m doing okay, just came in to tie up some loose ends. I should be out of here in no time. How about you? Waiting for Hank again?” You hadn’t been working in Detroit for long, but were starting to notice the lieutenant’s behavior: showing up late to work (or not at all), and the faint smell of alcohol that clung to his clothes. Tina had informed you that his son had been killed in a car accident at a really young age and Hank had never gotten over it. You couldn’t help but feel sorry for him but refused to bring it up. Although he had a grumpy side, he was always pleasant to you and never gave you any reason to dislike him.

“Yes, this is the third time he has shown up late to work. I called his cell phone, but he won’t answer. I believe he is ignoring me,” he replied.

“Don’t take it personally, no one likes getting up early on a Saturday morning,” you chuckled. “He’ll show up sooner or later.” You turned back toward your desk, but Connor stayed standing.

“Detective, may I ask you a question?” asked Connor.

“Um, okay. What’s up?” He stood silent for a moment as his LED spun in a yellow circle.

“How do you get someone to like you?” he asked with the tilt of his head. Your heart rate picked up at his action.

“Uh, well…being nice always helps. You really can’t go wrong with gifts either, maybe some flowers or taking them out to dinner? It’s a little old-fashioned, but it can work sometimes,” you breathed, hoping he wouldn’t notice the nervousness in your voice.

“According to my research, those are the methods of someone who is in search of a romantic partner. I was thinking of a more friendlier approach, how one would act with their co-workers or friends,” explained Connor. You mentally kicked yourself for thinking he would ask such a thing. He was an android after all; they weren’t made to feel such intense emotions.

“Right, of course! Sorry, I got confused. I was thinking of…something else,” you babbled. “But, yeah, usually talking to a person and finding out what their interests are goes a long way. Uh, why do you ask?” The uncomfortable warmth you felt when you got embarrassed had spread throughout your body. 

“I have over ten thousand social interactions that include basic pleasantries, popular conversational topics and jokes downloaded into my hard drive, yet Lieutenant Anderson seems unaffected by it. Even when I inspected his desk to figure out his own personal interests, he seemed annoyed with my efforts. I understand that humans don’t really like androids, but it would really be beneficial to this case if we were to get along better,” said Connor. You thought you saw a hint of sadness in his eyes, but quickly dismissed it.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it Connor,” you assured him. “Even with humans, building relationships are always complicated. Searching through his desk probably wasn’t the best idea, but I can tell your heart is in it.”

“I wasn’t searching through his desk, I was merely running a scan to find anything that he would be comfortable in discussing with me,” justified Connor. You bit your lip as you held back a laugh. It was cute seeing him get defensive.

“I understand, but it kinda comes off as ass-kissing rather than trying to be friends,” you clarified. “Actually, there is one way to get Hank to like you. Come on, let’s go.” You got up from your chair and motioned Connor to follow with your hand. 

“Where are we going, Detective?” he asked, still standing at the same spot. You gave him a reassuring smile as you grabbed his arm and walked him out the precinct. His LED flashed red for only a moment before turning back to it’s natural blue.

Your hand dropped to your side as you walked down the street, remembering that you were in public and had to keep it professional. You folded your hands behind your back, hoping Connor didn’t notice your blushing cheeks.

“Hey Connor, ever hear the term, ‘the best things in life are free?’” you asked as you slowed your walk to a stop. He paused as you watched his LED turn yellow.

“‘The Best Things in Life are Free’, written by Buddy DeSlyva, Lew Brown and Ray Henderson for the 1927 musical Good News” reported Connor. “Sung by Sam Cooke and Frank Sinatra…”

“Oh, that’s not really what I meant,” you interrupted. “I didn’t even know it was a song, but the point is, it’s something people say because, well it’s true. Hence, our reason for coming here,” you gestured toward the shop you stopped in front of.

Connor looked at the sign that read O’Mansley Donuts: Detroit’s Best Donuts! A picture of a pink donut with rainbow sprinkles was printed on the glass windows and was crowded with guests inside.

“Are we here to get free donuts? I believe you still have to pay for those. I’ve checked the company’s policy and there is no promotion of free donuts at this time,” confirmed Connor.

“Maybe I should’ve been more clear. The point is that people like to get things for free. Especially when it comes to food. It bring them together,” you grinned. “Well, come on,” you motioned to him as you walked into the store. He followed you as you both stood in the crowded line.

“It’s pretty stereotypical, but everyone at work gets donuts from here all the time,” you said as the line inched forward. The glass display cases were filled with all assortments of colorful pastries. Your mouth watered at the eight-inch tiger tails and chocolate éclairs.

“Which ones do you think Hank would like?” you wondered aloud. Connor stared at the desserts intently, his eyes flitting from one display case to the other.

“He usually takes these two,” he pointed to a chocolate round and the classic pink with rainbow sprinkles.

“Perfect! Trust me, he’s going to love them,” you bubbled. Connor matched your smile as you approached the cashier. 

After ordering a dozen donuts, you held the door open for Connor as he carried the green and white boxes. As you two headed back, you heard him clear his throat to grab your attention.

“Detective, there’s something I’d like to ask you,” said Connor. You slowed your pace as you looked at him. He seemed almost nervous.

“Go for it. And call me by my first name. ‘Detective’ sounds too formal, we’re a team now,” you replied encouragingly. It took a moment for him to respond before whispering your name. It sounded more special when he said it.

“What do you think about androids?” For such a simple question, it left you dumbfounded. Was this his way of asking what you thought about him? You licked your lips as you tried to think of what to say.

“Well…I think they’re pretty great. Like, you could learn all the languages in the world in a minute and not even one human can do that in their lifetime. I don’t know, they’re fascinating in a way that they’re just like humans only better… sorry, I don't know if that answers your question or not,” you added.

“No, it does,” said Connor. “Actually, I have all of Earth’s known languages programmed into my memory and can recall them a lot faster than a minute, 2.3 seconds to be exact.”

“Show off,” you laughed as you opened one of the boxes from his hand. You pulled out of one of the pink-frosted donuts and helped yourself.

“Hank won’t notice if just one’s missing,” you said with your mouth full as you took another bite.

“I won’t tell if you won’t,” he agreed with a grin. You held out the donut to see if he wanted some, but realized your mistake too late.

“Sorry, I forgot androids don’t eat-” you started but stopped when Connor put a finger to your lips. Before you could say anything else, he slowly ran his finger across the bottom corner and brushed it to the side, revealing a dollop of pink frosting.

“Oh thanks, I guess, but next time…what are you doing!?” you gasped as you watched Connor lift his fingers to his mouth. He licked the frosting off with his tongue and gave you a contemplative stare.

“I’m analyzing the ingredients. It seems to be a combination of sugar, butter, eggs, whipping cream…” Connor continued to list off the rest of the ingredients leaving you speechless.

“Are you alright? I didn’t want to mention it earlier, but I noticed your heart rate pick up and an elevation in body temperature. Perhaps you are coming down with a cold?” queried Connor.

“Yeah, maybe,” you squeaked. “We should go before Hank shows up.” You continued to eat your donut in silence, relieved that the station was just around the corner. 

As the two of you walked into the main office area, you spotted Hank already sitting at his desk with a cup of steaming coffee next to him. You turned toward Connor and gave him a reassuring smile.

“Make sure to say that it was your idea, okay? Good luck!” you wished him as you headed back to your own desk. 

You watched as Connor walked toward Hank and extended the box of treats towards him. Hank raised an eyebrow at the offer, but accepted them with a few exchanged words you couldn’t hear. As the lieutenant turned his attention back towards his computer screen, Connor looked in your direction and gave you the biggest smile and nodded in thanks. You gave him a thumbs-up, delighted that your plan had been a success.

No one can resist the power of free food, you thought to yourself. Curiosity got the better of you as you walked over to them.

“Wow, Hank, those look great, which ones did you get this time?” you asked. Hank looked up at you and quickly glanced at Connor.

“The usual. Connor bought them for me. Looks more like a bribe if anything,” commented Hank as he crossed his arms. You saw Connor’s smile drop out of the corner of your eye.

“How nice of him. Well, if you don’t want them, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind if I took them instead…”you said as you reached for the boxes. Hank quickly put grabbed them and pulled them closer to him.

“Now hold on, I didn’t say anything about that. Connor did buy them for me after all. Shouldn’t let it go to waste,” he said hurriedly. You backed off as you raised your hands in defeat and gave Connor a wink.

“Alright, they’re yours, I get it. Hey Hank, you wouldn’t happen to know what time Reed is coming in? I tried calling him, but there’s no answer,” you explained.

“The hell if I know, he’s your partner. If he’s not picking up, you can try stopping by his place. Addresses are in the database,” Hank finished.

You thanked him and gave Connor one last smile before packing your belongings and throwing the tablet into your bag.

Before you could walk out the door, you heard Connor’s voice call out for you again. You quickly turned around, hoping your face didn’t look too eager.

“I forgot to express my thanks. I did a quick scan and saw a rise in Hank’s dopamine and serotonin. It seems your theory on free food worked. So…thank you,” said Connor. His eyes went everywhere but failed to meet your own. Was he nervous?

“You’re welcome, I’m glad I could help,” you beamed. Without a second thought, you put your hand on his arm and gave him a gentle squeeze. This was appropriate right? Coworkers gave encouragement to each other all the time.

Connor looked at your hand as his LED turned yellow. You thought you caught a look of disappointment as you pulled away, but blamed it on your brain playing tricks on you.

“I have to go find my partner or Fowler’s gonna yell at me. See you later, Connor!” As Connor waved goodbye, you went over the donut scenario over and over in your head. When you got into your car, you trailed your fingers over your lips, hoping to resurrect the same feelings as when Connor touched you.

He’s an android. He doesn’t know any better, you told yourself as you punched in Gavin’s address into your GPS. A little voice in the back of your head argued that maybe he did.

Just maybe.


	4. Chapter 4

The rain started to pour harder as you pulled up to Gavin’s place. It was a house similar to your own on the other side of town. You put your hood on as you got outside the car and walked up the stoned pathway. A wooden bench stood on the porch with an ashtray of old cigarettes on the arm. You rang the bell a couple times in a row and banged on his door.

“Reed, open up! It’s me!” you yelled as you continued to ring the bell. You heard a long bang come from inside, followed by a string of curses. The door flew open and you were met with a venomous glare from Gavin.

“What the fuck! What are you even doing here?” he hissed. He had dark circles under his red eyes and his hair stood up at an angle in the back. He was dressed in gray sweatpants and a faded Detroit Gears shirt.

“I could ask you the same thing,” you shot back. “You were supposed to come in today and help me finish up the Lockwood case. But no, instead, you decided to fuck me over! Again! Like you always do!” you yelled. All the anger and frustration you had been keeping in all week finally boiled over. “I’ve picked up your slack this whole week and I’m not doing it anymore! I am your partner Reed, not your slave!”

“Jesus, will you stop screaming already! Hurry up and get in, you’re letting the heat out,” groaned Gavin as he massaged his forehead. You notice his breath reeked of alcohol as you followed him into his house. Empty pizza boxes and beer bottles littered the kitchen counter.

“How late did you stay out with Tina and Chris last night?” you questioned. Tina had invited you for drinks the night before, but you politely declined, fully expecting to come into work early. 

“Who are you, my mom? Why are you here again?” he asked as he opened his fridge. He pulled out a carton of orange juice and drank it straight from the bottle as a drop ran down his chin. You wrinkled your nose as you pulled out the tablet from your bag and showed it to him.

“Just sign the rest,” you sighed as you handed the tablet over. He grabbed it out of your hands and checked through the list of files, occasionally wincing at the screen’s brightness.

“You know, you could’ve just signed these for me instead of coming all the way here,” he grumbled.

“The last one requires your thumbprint, you might as well do the rest,” you countered. Gavin’s hand hovered over the last screen before setting the tablet onto the counter.

“When do you have to turn this in by?” he asked.

“Like in a couple hours, why?” 

“Plenty of time for me to take a shower then, since you already woke me up,” he yawned. He started to walk to what you assumed was the bathroom, but you grabbed his arm to stop him.

“It’s a thumbprint, Gavin. Takes all of two seconds. Put on your finger on the damn tablet and then we both can enjoy the rest our weekend,” you urged.

“Nah. Think of this as karma for waking me up,” he retaliated as he shrugged off your hand. The familiar flare of anger from before rose again as you clasped right back onto his arm.

You underestimated how drunk he still was as you pulled him back. Gavin lost his momentum and tripped over his feet and crashed into you, forcing your hip into the counter. You cried out in pain as it hit you right on the bone. Gavin placed his hands on the counter on either side of you as he steadied himself. His body easily overtook yours, pinning you back with his weight. You could’ve sworn you heard him smelling your hair but chalked it up to him being extremely hung over.

“Huh, so that’s why you came over here,” Gavin chuckled into your ear. “Damn Shorty, all you had to do was ask.” Heat rose to your cheeks as you realized you had put your hands on his chest in an attempt to block him. You pushed him away gently, trying to ignore how muscular his body felt beneath your fingertips.

“Don’t be gross,” you scolded. He smirked as he shrugged and stepped away from you.

“If you give me ten minutes, I’ll buy you breakfast,” he said as he walked into his bathroom. You heard the shower being turned on as your stomach growled at the mention of food.

Bastard is using the trick I told Connor about, you thought as you surveyed out his house. Other than the mess, there was nothing that suggested a person was living there. No photographs or personal memorabilia, just a painting of a beach that looked like it came with the place. You noticed the door to Gavin’s bedroom was left opened and you couldn’t help but take a quick peak.

Clothes littered the floor around an unmade queen-sized bed with a red-flannel comforter and pillows. A faded Detroit Gears poster hung opposite to the bed over a dresser that was littered with half-filled cologne bottles and aftershave products. You took a hesitant step into his room, careful not to disturb anything.

You caught your reflection in the mirror that hung over the dresser and saw an old, faded photo tucked into the corner. Taking a closer look, you saw a young boy who you assumed to be Gavin and a woman standing next to him. She was attractive with long blonde hair and had the same colored eyes as Gavin. You took a closer look and saw that the photo had multiple creases on it, looking as if it had been folded over and over multiple times.

Not wanting to get caught snooping, you turned to leave when a tapping sound on the window behind you caught your attention.

A gray tabby cat with white paws sat atop a trashcan outside and clawed at the window. It started to mewl and rubbed its body against the glass.

Poor thing, you thought, as you walked over to the window and opened it, letting the cat in. You didn’t expect Gavin to be a cat person, but then again, you didn’t know your partner very well in the first place.

The cat jumped onto the bed and curled into a tight ball, its soaked fur leaving a wet spot. You gently held out your hand, as you let it take in your scent. The cat gave a quick lick and slowly blinked as it started to fall asleep. You giggled as you gave the cat a couple pets, scratching behind the ears and under its chin.

“What the hell are you doing in my room? And why’d you let that thing in!?” explained Gavin. You turned to face your partner with his hair wet and wearing nothing but a towel around his waist.

“Jesus, put some clothes on!” you sputtered as you attempted to shield your eyes with your hand.

“What do you think I’m trying to do?” Gavin shouted. “Get out!” You grabbed a random shirt from the floor and used it to scoop up the cat into your arms.

“C’mon kitty, let’s get you something to eat,” you cooed as you walked out of the room.

“Don’t give that cat a damn thing!” yelled Gavin from his room. You ignored him as you set the cat down onto the kitchen floor and filled a clean bowl with water. After setting it down on the floor, you opened Gavin’s fridge, hoping to find something edible.

“Cats can eat turkey right?” you muttered to yourself as you pulled out a package of lunchmeat. Tearing it into bite-sized pieces, you put it on a nearby plate and set it next to the bowl of water. The cat ate the food quickly and rubbed itself against your leg.

“Why’s that thing still here?” Gavin demanded as he came into the kitchen, this time fully dressed.

“You really should take care of your pet. It’s cruel how you just left her out in the rain,” you said.

“That thing is not my pet. It’s a stray that meows all night long and doesn’t let me sleep!” he explained. The cat went over to Gavin and rubbed itself against his leg as it purred loudly.

“Aw, see she likes you. Besides, you look like you could use some pussy in your life,” you chuckled as Gavin glared at you and gave you the middle finger.

“Let’s go eat before I change my mind,” he scoffed as he put on his leather jacket. Before you could give the cat one last pat, Gavin picked it up and headed towards the door. You followed him outside as he dropped the cat onto the porch.

“Cats are really easy to take care of, they pretty much do it themselves. If you want, I can help you get some supplies from the store…” you suggested.

“I’m not keeping it, I have enough shit to worry about already,” he grumbled as he got into the passenger seat of our car. You got into the driver’s seat and turned on the heat as you rubbed your hands together for warmth.

“Where to?” you asked.

“There’s a food truck off of Third and Vermont. Hopefully they haven’t left yet,” he sighed as he leaned back into his chair. You nodded silently and set the car to drive.

The rain had finally stopped as you drove in silence, finally pulling up to a black and red food truck called Manny’s Grill. Gavin jumped out of the car before you could turn the car off. You followed him as he got in line, the familiar smells of meat and peppers filling your nostrils.

“You like breakfast burritos?” asked Gavin. Before you could reply, he turned toward the man working the truck and ordered two #1’s.

You rolled your eyes as you walked over to an empty bench and sat down. You watched him as he crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently. If it wasn’t for his attitude, you might’ve found him attractive.

He has a cute face…and he didn’t look bad without a shirt on either, a voice whispered in the back of your mind. Wonder what he looks like without a towel…

“Shorty, heads up,” said Gavin as he threw a wrapped burrito towards you. You snapped out of your thoughts, barely catching it as he took a seat next to you.

“Thanks,” you mumbled as you unwrapped the foil. As you took a bite, Gavin handed you a small packet of hot sauce. You took it and smeared red sauce across your burrito, hoping he didn’t notice the electric shock that passed between the two of you.

“Give me the tablet,” said Gavin. You pulled out the tablet from you bag and handed it over to him. Wiping his hands with a napkin, he scrolled through the files and scanned his thumbprint. The screen lit up with a green checkmark.

“See what happens when you wait,” drawled Gavin as he continued to eat. You nodded in response, trying to hide the smile tugging at the corner of you mouth.


	5. Chapter 5

“Can’t believe we’re letting the plastic prick do the interrogation. You should have put me in there, I would’ve had him talking in five minutes,” said Gavin with a scowl. You let out an irritated sigh as you massaged the back of your neck. 

“Don’t give yourself too much credit, Reed,” said Hank as he leaned back into his chair. “Knowing you and your ‘methods,’ you probably would’ve made him blow up in two minutes.” You stifled a laugh as they continued to bicker with each other.

Hank and Connor had found a deviant at their crime scene and brought it into the station for questioning. Once they had come back, you and Gavin immediately went to the interrogation room to join them. It took almost an hour before Hank called it quits and let Connor take over. He was now showing the deviant pictures of the crime scene, pressuring him into giving more information.

You felt your phone vibrate in your pocket and pulled it out to see a text from Fowler.

My office. Now.

“Fowler wants to see me. I’ll be back,” you said as you put your hand on the door lock. Hank and Gavin didn’t even acknowledge you as you walked out into the hallway.

As you approached Fowler’s office, you couldn’t help but feel a little bit nervous. The captain had never texted you to come meet him privately before. It felt like being called up to the principal’s office in grade school.

I hope I didn’t do anything wrong, you thought as you opened the glass door.

“You wanted to see me, sir?” you asked as you took a seat in front of him. 

“Yes, it’s about your performance so far,” said Fowler as he crossed his arms in his seat. You nodded and swallowed hard as you played with your hands.

“Your work on the Lockwood case was exceptional, especially for your first official homicide. CyberLife informed me that the android was returned in almost perfect condition. You also have been keeping up with your paperwork and have managed to cooperate remarkably well with your partner. I’m sure Reed hasn’t been giving you the easiest time.”

“It’s nothing I can’t handle,” you reassured him, your chest swelling with pride. For a second, you thought you had gotten in trouble for taking an extra fifteen minutes for lunch the other day. “I really appreciate your feedback sir, it’s really great to hear!”

“I just wanted to let you know that I’m glad you’ve joined our team. Give a couple years, you’ll be lieutenant in no time,” encouraged Fowler with a grin on his face.

“Thank you, sir! I won’t let you down,” you promised as you both shook hands. You tried to keep your smile from spreading too much across your face as you headed back to the interrogation room. As you walked, in you noticed it was empty until a flash of movement caught your eye.

On the other side of the mirror, Gavin held a gun up to Connor’s head while the deviant sat in a pool of it’s own Blue Blood on the table. You froze as you heard Gavin threatening Connor but stopped when Hank pulled out his own gun to him.

“That’s enough,” said Hank. Gavin hesitated, before holstering his gun, cursing out Hank and Connor. It felt as if your brain finally connected with your body and rushed to the other side of the room. As soon as the doors opened, Gavin bumped into you without saying anything as he stormed out of the precinct. 

“What the fuck just happened!?” you exclaimed. 

“Your partner just got a little excited is all,” said Hank as he holstered his gun.

“Connor, are you okay? He didn’t hurt you, did he?” you asked as you walked over to him.

“No need to worry Detective, I am unharmed. The deviant however…” trailed off Connor as he stared at the unmoving deviant. “He claims he did it in self-defense, that he couldn’t handle the abuse. He was scared, scared that he was going to get shut down…instead, he…” Connor couldn’t finish his sentence as he continued to stare at the unmoving deviant. Human or not, you could see the guilt in Connor’s eyes and grabbed his hand, forcing him to look at you.

“It’s not your fault Connor. I don’t know much about deviancy and how it all works, but there is nothing you could have done. Emotions are tricky and if he was experiencing them all at once, it would’ve been only a matter of time before he imploded on himself. You did the best you could, hell, it sounds like you got more out of him than any of us. Don’t let this get to you,” you insisted. As you watched Connor’s yellow LED, you felt a firm grasp on your shoulder.

“You should go talk to Reed before he ends up killing someone,” suggested Hank.

“Are you kidding me? I’m not talking to him right now, after what he just did to Connor?” you yelled as you released the android.

“I know he’s an asshole, but he’s your partner. You can hate it all you want, but he comes first,” said Hank with a stern look. You felt as if your own father was lecturing you.  
“Fine, whatever,” you huffed as you walked out of the room. You had a pretty good idea where Gavin was headed.

He was leaning against his car in a cloud of cigarette smoke as you entered the parking garage. You could hear him muttering curses under his breath as you approached him.

“What the hell was that all about?” you demanded as you crossed your arms and glared at him.

“Fucking tin can needs to know his place,” he replied as he took another drag. 

“Know his place? What are you talking about, he works with us!”

“Are you seriously defending that thing? Whose side are you on anyways?” Gavin yelled as he threw his cigarette to the ground.

“There are no sides! If anything, we’re all on the same side! What is it about him that pisses you off so much? I feel like you’re projecting-”

“I ain’t projecting shit!” exploded Gavin. “Why the fuck do you care so much anyways?”

“Because if you pulled a gun on him, what’s stopping you from doing that to me!?” you cried as you pushed him against his car. He looked at you as if you slapped him across the face.

“I would never do that to you,” said Gavin quietly as he grabbed both your shoulders. You struggled to escape his grasp, but he held on tight. “Do you hear me? You’re not made of metal and wires, you’re human…you’re special,” he whispered. You looked down at the floor, struggling to find the right words.

“You should go home,” you sighed. Gavin released his hold on you as he ran his hands through his hair.

“If I knew you’d be- I wouldn’t…fuck, forget it,” cursed Gavin as he got in his car. You watched him speed out of the parking lot, his tires spinning against the pavement as he drove away.

“Goddamit!” you swore as you went back inside. It seemed no matter how close you got to Gavin, it was always two steps forward and three steps back with him.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee lured you to the break room. As you prepared yourself a cup, you heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind.

“Detective, may I speak with you?” You turned to see Connor looking at you expectantly.

“Of course. But before you say anything, I just want to apologize for my partner’s behavior. I have no idea what’s gotten into him, he’s been acting more of a douche than usual,” you explained. 

“I appreciate your sentiment. However, I just wanted to inform you that there was no reason for alarm. Even if Detective Reed did shoot me, CyberLife would send another android in my place.”

“That’s not the point Connor. No one deserves that type of behavior, not even an android,” you insisted. “It’s not fair, the way people treat you. You think we would’ve learned our lesson by now.”

You drank your whole cup of coffee in one gulp and tossed the paper cup into the trash. Before you could leave, Connor wrapped his arms around you.

“Connor! What’re you doing?” you gasped. He held you at an awkward angle and you wondered if he had ever done something like this before.

“My research shows that hugging someone is appropriate when trying to make people feel better. It also raises oxytocin, lowers blood pressure and is a natural stress reliever.”

“Oh, um, that’s really sweet of you Connor…” you stuttered. You tried to gently pull away, but he continued to hold onto you.

“My research also suggests that we must remain this way for a minimum of twenty seconds in order for you to receive the full effect,” said Connor. You whispered out a small ‘okay’ as you hesitantly wrapped your arms around him in return. 

The one thing you didn’t expect was Connor to have a scent. You leaned your head against his chest and caught of whiff of what smelled like soap and fresh laundry. Despite him being made of metal, his body felt soft and warm.

“Hope I’m not interrupting anything.” You jumped at the sound of Hank’s voice coming from the entrance. He was leaning against the doorframe and gave you a knowing look. You quickly extracted yourself from Connor, a part of you wishing you hadn’t.

“No! I mean, Connor was just showing me how to relieve stress and…” you fumbled over your words, trying to come up with an excuse.

“Uh huh,” smirked Hank with raised eyebrows. “Well, if you don’t mind Detective, I need to borrow our friend here so he can wrap up the little situation we just had.”

“Yeah, no problem,” you nodded as you watched Hank go back to his desk.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I did a quick vital scan and it appears that you’re stressed levels have been reduced. Is there anything else I can assist you with Detective?” asked Connor.

“No, I’m good, everything’s good,” you stammered. Connor tilted his head to the side and gave you a crooked grin. You gave him a little wave as he followed after Hank.

“Dammit Hank,” you muttered as you helped yourself to another cup of coffee.


	6. Chapter 6

“Want to grab some tacos or something? My treat,” you said as you gathered your things from your desk. Gavin didn’t meet your eyes as he put on his jacket.

“Maybe next time,” replied Gavin as he walked out of the precinct. You sighed as you watched him leave. Ever since the situation with the deviant in the interrogation room, Gavin had become distant from you, giving you only one-worded answers and short looks. The silence between the two of you was so deafening that you were actually starting to miss his smart-ass remarks.

“Leaving for the day, Detective?” asked Connor as he came up from behind you. You turned toward the android and gave him a small smile.

“Yeah. How about you?” you inquired.

“I am to report back to the CyberLife Tower and go through a routine check-up of my sensors and functions to make sure I am in working order for tomorrow.”

“That makes sense,” you nodded. “Actually do you want to come over and help me with dinner?” The words slipped out of your mouth before you even realized what you were saying. Connor’s LED turned yellow as you struggled to think of an explanation.

“I know you don’t eat, but cooking is really fun and I’d like to get to know you more. I mean, we work together but hanging out after hours builds morale for the team and stuff like that…” you babbled. You cursed to yourself, hoping you didn’t sound as idiotic as you thought.

“You’re not wrong. Spending time with coworkers off the clock often promotes creativity, boosts productivity, and builds trust. I would be more than happy to assist you with dinner tonight.”

“Cool!” you giggled, trying to keep your excitement under control.

The two of walked to the parking garage and got in your car as you turned the engine on.

“What were you thinking of making?” asked Connor as you pulled out onto the street.

“Um, I actually haven’t thought about it…” you said. If you were being honest with yourself, you didn’t think you’d get this far with him.

“I’ve just uploaded over a thousand simple recipes that we could use. Also, if you take a left on the next street, there is a grocery store where we can get all the ingredients,” advised Connor.

“You found something to make? What is it?”

“It’s a surprise,” said Connor. You glanced at him, noticing the mischievous grin on his face.

“I love surprises,” you smiled as you bit your lip.

After a few more minutes of driving, you pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store Connor was talking about. The two of you got out of the car and entered the store while you grabbed a shopping cart off to the side entrance.

“Let’s see if you can guess what we’re making by the ingredients that I choose. Think of it as a fun way to hone your detective skills,” suggested Connor as he threw in a bag of red and green bell peppers into the cart.

“Sounds fun! I accept your challenge.”

As you followed Connor throughout the store, you watched him pick out broccoli, carrots, limes, sesame seeds and a half-pound of beef.

“This might give it away, but do you prefer noodles or rice?” asked Connor as he held them up in each hand.

“Noodles. Are we making stir fry?” you guessed.

“Precisely. It’s an excellent combination of vegetables, meat and starch that provides an even balance of fiber and potassium. I’ve suggested similar meals to Lieutenant Anderson, but he insists that the only thing he needs are cheeseburgers and donuts.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t worry too much about Hank’s dietary needs. I’m sure he’s told you off plenty of times for it. But you are getting along better with him, right?”

“He seems to be warming up to me a little. I believe his behavior has something to do with deviants more than he lets on. What do you think?” asked Connor as you both got in line for checkout.

“Hank’s…complicated. He’ll come around, you just have to be patient. Besides, you’re pretty loveable when you want to be,” you teased as you playfully nudged him with your arm.

“CyberLife designed my looks and voice specifically to help facilitate my integration with humans,” explained Connor.

“Well, they did a really good job,” you commented as you put the items onto the track.

After paying for your things, the two of you walked back to your car and started to load the groceries in the trunk. As you shut it closed, a middle-aged woman wearing a stained dress and leather jacket with a cigarette dangling from her lips walked past them and gave out a low whistle.

“They got a new Traci model out, eh? Don’t keep him for too long, leave some for the rest of us!” she cackled as she gave Connor a suggestive wink.

“Actually, I’m an RK800 model sent by CyberLife- ” Before he could finish, the woman gave a quick slap to his ass.

“Whatever you say sweetie!” the woman snickered.

“Let’s go Connor,” you scowled as you grabbed his arm and watched the woman stumble her way into the store.

You got into the driver’s seat as you fumbled for your key. Connor took the passenger and gave you a concerned look as you started the car and drove back home.

“Did I do something wrong, Detective?” asked Connor. You took a peak and saw his LED turn yellow.

“Of course not. It’s just…you’re not bothered that she just harassed you like that?”

“No, should I be?”

“Well, maybe a little. I know I’d be furious,” you admitted. “It’s disgusting behavior really.” You sat in silence before Connor spoke up.

“That woman thought I was a Traci model. Why would she think that?”

“You’re kidding me right?” you snorted. “I mean have you looked into a mirror lately? You’re very handsome.” You bit your tongue at the compliment, hoping Connor didn’t notice the way your knuckles gripped the steering wheel.

“You know, because CyberLife made you that way, with human integration and all,” you pointed out as you pulled into your driveway. Connor nodded his head and helped you carry the groceries inside.

“You don’t mind if I take a quick shower, do you? I’ll be right out to help you prep and stuff,” you promised. “Make yourself at home.” Without waiting for an answer you made you way to your bedroom and grabbed a sports bra, a pair of gray sweats and your favorite oversized t-shirt.

As you crossed the hall the to the bathroom you heard Connor opening and closing your kitchen cabinets. You smiled to yourself, knowing he couldn’t help himself.

You washed your hair and body as quickly as possible, hoping you weren’t keeping Connor long. After changing, you walked out to the kitchen and saw the android chopping up vegetables and boiling the noodles.

“Got started without me already? Nice apron by the way,” you added as you chuckled at Connor’s appearance. He had found an apron that you hardly used with the words ‘Kiss the Cook’ on it with a pattern of pink and red lipstick stains.

“I hope you don’t mind,” said Connor as you washed your hands. You took the meat from the packaging and started to season it.

“I don’t mind at all. You look really cute in it,” you praised as you grabbed your phone and turned on some music.

“Thank you,” replied Connor as you swayed your hips to the beat. You lost yourself in the music and started humming along as you grabbed a skillet from the bottom cupboard and put it on the stove. Putting in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, you tossed the meat into the pan and began cooking.

“Those veggies ready?” you asked as you turned back to Connor. The android held the cutting board of perfectly chopped vegetables and was staring intently at you, his eyes focused on your dancing.

“Connor?” Hearing your voice snapped him out of his stare as he walked over and carefully added the vegetables to the skillet.

“It’s starting to smell so good! Wanna try?” you suggested as you held out the wooden spoon that you were stirring with. Connor accepted and took over. You were about to make a joke, when you heard your phone go off, canceling out he music.

“Oh, excuse me,” you said as you grabbed your phone. The screen read ‘Gavin Reed.’ Your eyebrows went up in confusion. Gavin never called you after hours.

“What’s up,” you answered. You found it a little annoying that out of all the days, Gavin chose the one where you were spending time with Connor.

“Hey, can you talk right now?” Gavin asked in a low voice.

Any irritation you felt earlier melted away at the sound of his voice. It was the most he said to you in days.

“Uh, I have company over right now. Maybe in a couple hours?” You didn’t mention that Connor was over, knowing that your partner would flip out.

“Sure, call me back,” said Gavin. Before you could say goodbye, he hung up.

“Who was that?” asked Connor. You noticed that he had already added all the ingredients and was now serving your portion on a plate.

“Reed. Probably wanting to know if I can help him catch up with his paperwork or something,” you sighed as you put down your phone. “Wow Connor that looks like it came out of a restaurant; and it smells amazing!”

“It wasn’t that difficult, anyone could have done it, even you,” assured Connor. You accepted the plate he prepared for you and took a seat on a barstool at the counter.

“Connor, you don’t have to wash the dishes, you practically cooked everything!” you said as you took a bite. You groaned in delight at the flavors, wishing the android could join you.

“It’s not a problem. I can’t eat remember?” he reminded as he began to wash the dirty dishes.

The two of you fell into a comfortable silence as you ate and he cleaned. You caught yourself daydreaming about him coming over and cooking for you again.

“Seriously, we should do this more often,” you said to Connor. He didn’t reply right away as you called him a second time, his body completely still. You noticed his eyes flutter as his LED spun rapidly.

“Sorry, I just received instructions from CyberLife and must report back immediately,” said Connor as he put everything away. “But yes, it would be nice to have dinner with you again.” You smiled as you walked Connor to the door and let out a laugh.

“We can’t have you returning to CyberLife like this,” you teased as you tugged on the strings to the apron he was still wearing.

“How forgetful of me,” grinned Connor as he took the apron off and handed it to you. The words on the material shouted out to you and before you knew what you were doing, you stood on your tiptoes and gave Connor a quick peck on the cheek.

“You know…kiss the cook and all,” you mumbled, referring to the apron. Connor lifted his hand to his cheek and let it rest there. His LED spun in a rapid circle.

“So, um…see you later,” you squealed. Before you could close the door, Connor leaned in and placed a kiss on your cheek in return. His lips were cold but a lot softer than you expected.

“You cooked too,” he smiled. You watched him walk down your driveway and enter a taxi parked in front. As the car drove away, you closed the door and leaned back against it letting out a deep breath. You mimicked Connor’s movements as you touched the side of your cheek he kissed, wishing it had been your lips instead.


	7. Chapter 7

You dialed Gavin’s number for the second time in a row as you tapped your foot impatiently. Just as you were about to hang up on the fourth ring, Gavin finally picked up the phone.

 

“Hey, whassup,” slurred Gavin. You closed your eyes as you let out a deep sigh.

 

“You called me, remember?” you reminded him.

 

“I need you to pick me up. I’ll send you my location.” Before you could respond, he hung.

 

You scowled, hearing the alcohol in his voice. You wondered if it was worth leaving the comfort of your home, when the screen of your phone lit up. The place Gavin sent you wasn’t too far away, about a twenty-minute drive.

 

You juggled with the idea of ignoring him or actually going to pick him up when Hank’s advice popped back into your mind. If anything were to happen to Gavin and you were the last person he called, it would be your fault.

 

Grabbing your coat and keys, you walked out and got into your car. You typed the address into your GPS and pulled out of the driveway. The sun was just about to set, giving off pink and purple hues to the night sky.

 

After driving for about fifteen minutes, you noticed that you were driving further away from the city and more into the outskirts. The spiraling towers of Detroit were becoming smaller in the distance as you drove into a neighborhood with older, decaying buildings that had stood for decades.

 

The GPS alerted you that you had arrived at your location and you finally noticed that it had taken you to an old cemetery. A rusted iron-gate covered in ivy encircled the entire property. You pulled into the small parking lot and noticed only a couple cars, but not Gavin’s. You double-checked your phone, wondering if you had gotten the location wrong.

 

It’s the right address, you thought. This better not be some sort of sick joke.

 

Just as you were about to drive back home, you spotted a man wearing a familiar leather jacket roaming in between large tombstones.

 

You got out of the car and followed Gavin, jogging to keep up with his quick pace. He finally came to a stop in front of a small grave that had white carnations placed in front of it. Gavin held a bottle of brown liquor in his hand and took a huge swig.

 

“Took you forever,” drawled Gavin. You put your hands in your pockets and shivered at the cool breeze.

 

“Is there a reason why you called me? You could’ve just called a taxi, you know,” you replied. You noticed his eyes were bloodshot and you couldn't tell if he had been crying or if it was from the alcohol.

 

“Why pay for something when I can get it for free,” he answered, taking another drink. You let out an irritated sigh as he plopped himself onto the ground. The both of you were silent and you wondered why you even bothered to show up. The sound of crickets chirping interrupted your silence as you watched Gavin run his fingers alongside the bottle.

 

“They wouldn’t let me see her. All because I didn’t have my I.D. on me. Stupid, fucking androids,” cursed Gavin. You didn’t realize what he was talking about until you noticed the name on the headstone.

 

DONNA REED. 1982-2023.

 

“Is this your mother?” you asked quietly. You took his silence as a yes as he continued to drink. For someone who constantly antagonized Hank about his drinking, you’d think he’d take his own advice.

 

“How did she pass?” Gavin stopped drinking and gave you a long stare. You kept eye contact as you heard a couple of birds chirping behind you.

 

“Cancer,” he grunted as he turned back toward the grave. You nodded, not knowing what to say.

 

You took a seat next to him as he offered the bottle to you. Not wanting him to drink alone, you accepted it and took a swig. You coughed at the taste of whiskey as Gavin let out a harsh laugh.

 

“Drink much?” he teased.

 

“Nothing this cheap,” you played back. He nudged your shoulder with his as you took another drink. It started to warm your body, giving off the familiar, pleasant buzz.

 

You set the bottle down and rubbed your hands together for warmth as the wind started to pick up. Right when you were about to put them in your pockets, Gavin grabbed your hand and rubbed his thumb in circles against it.

 

A small smile crept across your face at the gentle touch. You scooted closer to him and leaned your head against his shoulder.

 

The sun had finally set and the few stars that peaked through twinkled brightly against the dark sky. Your eyelids started to droop as you let out a yawn.

 

“You’re tired. Let’s go home,” said Gavin. You got up from the ground and extended your hand to your partner. As you pulled him up, he put his hand your shoulder to steady himself.

 

“Please don’t tell me I have to carry you to the car,” you joked. You looked up at him, but he didn’t return your smile. His hand slowly moved from your shoulder to caress the side of your face. Your heart rate picked up as he leaned in and put his forehead to yours, his lips close but hesitating to make contact.

 

“We should go,” you whispered. Gavin licked his lips before releasing you and heading to the parking lot. As he stumbled his way back, you picked up the nearly empty whiskey bottle and followed in tow.

 

The drive back was quiet and uneventful except for Gavin fiddling with the radio dial, switching from one station to the next. Usually this would bother you, but considering the circumstances, you let it pass.

 

You pulled up to Gavin’s house and before you could put the car in park, he opened the passenger door and stumbled out onto the driveway.

 

“Be careful,” you warned as you shut off the car. You followed Gavin to his doorstep as he unlocked it and walked into his house. You followed as he tossed his jacket onto the couch and slipped out of his shoes.

 

“You kept her,” you said, referring to the gray tabby cat. It was curled up on the kitchen counter and started purring when Gavin walked over to her. He ruffled her head as he walked to the fridge and pulled out two beers. “Did you give her a name yet?”

 

“Her name’s Kat, with a ‘K’,” shrugged Gavin as he opened them and handed one to you. You accepted it and clinked your bottles together before taking a big gulp.

 

“Very creative,” you chuckled. He watched you play with the cat as you gave her scratches behind her ears. Out of the corner of your eye, you notice Gavin had finished his drink in less than a minute.

 

At the rate he was going, it wouldn’t be long before you had to take him to the hospital for alcohol poisoning. You took another sip of your beer and set it on the counter.

 

“You should drink some water,” you suggested.

 

“Aw how cute. You care about me, Shorty?” teased Gavin.

 

“I’m serious. Look I’m not telling you to stop, just pace yourself, please?”

 

“Whatever, I’m going to bed anyways,” he said as he retreated to his room.

 

“What, I don't get a thank you? I didn't have to come and pick you up,” you said as you crossed your arms. When he didn’t answer you followed him into his room to find him shirtless and in the process of taking off his pants.

 

“What is with you and wanting to see me naked?” asked Gavin.

 

“Oh please, it’s nothing I haven’t seen before,” you shot back, trying to keep your eyes on his face and not on his navy briefs.

 

“You haven’t seen everything,” he muttered as he walked toward you. Any bravado you had left as you walked backward until you hit your back against the wall.

 

“You’re drunk, Gavin,” you gulped, feeling the same rush you felt earlier. “We work together…”

 

“I know how to keep a secret,” he whispered into your ear as his lips met your neck. You let out a gasp as he continued to suck on it and occasionally biting it with his teeth. A tiny moan escaped from your lips and you wished you could take it back. You didn’t want to give Gavin the satisfaction of him affecting you this way.

 

Gavin noticed your reaction and chuckled as he pulled away from you.

 

“As much as I know you want this,” he started as he brushed the hair from your face. “I’m a little too far gone to get it up. Maybe next time, Shorty.”

 

Before you could respond, Gavin slumped onto the bed and waved his hand at you.

 

“Thanks for picking me up,” he yawned. He fell asleep almost instantly as you stared at him in shock.

 

“Tease,” you muttered as you walked out of his room. After grabbing your belongings and giving Kat one last pat, you noticed something in the hallway mirror.

 

A small mark the size of a quarter shone red against the side of your neck. In the short time that Gavin had you, he managed to leave a hickey that would definitely raise questions at the precinct.

 

You let out a curse, wondering how you were going to explain it to your coworkers.

 

I’ll just say I fell…on my neck… you thought. That sounds believable, right?


	8. Chapter 8

“Just to clarify Mr. Mills, you reset the Tracis every two hours? Is there a program in them that does that automatically or do you see to it personally?” you asked. You and Gavin had got a call in about a murder and suspected deviant at the local Eden’s Club. Gavin was already inside one of the rooms while you questioned the club’s owner, Floyd Mills.

 

“We used to have a machine that would manually reset their memories, but now CyberLife provides a program already installed with purchase. I tell ya, it comes in handy, not having to do everything yourself,” explained Floyd. “Hey, this isn’t gonna come out in the news or anything right? Having clients killed by the merchandise is bad for business.”

 

“We’re not the press, Mr. Mills,” you said with a raised eyebrow. “Though, I would expect a hoard of them tomorrow morning.” As you jotted down a couple more notes into your notepad, you noticed two people enter the club.

 

“Well, well, looks like the Wonder Twins beat us to it,” drawled Hank with Connor in tow.

 

“You know how he gets when it comes to android cases,” you nodded toward the closed crime scene. “He’s actually in a somewhat decent mood today. Try not to piss him off, for my sake?”

 

“No promises,” said Hank as he walked into the room.

 

“Hey Connor, how are you?” you smiled. Connor tilted his head as his LED spun.

 

“I’m doing well, Detective. How are you-”

 

“Hey, I know you guys have a job to do and all, but you have any idea when you’re gonna be finished? I have customers and frankly, the yellow tape out front is scaring them away,” interrupted Floyd. You turned toward him and gave him a look.

 

“Sir, there has been a murder in your establishment. The less information we know, the less time we’ll have to solve this case. I doubt you want us here any longer than necessary, so please, let us do our job?” Floyd grumbled as he took out his phone and began typing on it furiously.

 

“I should investigate the crime scene. It was nice seeing you again, Detective,” said Connor, giving you a polite smile.

 

“Same! Hey, give me a call when you’re done here. There’s something I need to talk to you about.” The android nodded as you waved him on and turned back toward Floyd only to find him checking you out.

 

“Ya know, CyberLife’s about to come out with a new feature for the Traci model. They supposedly can copy any face onto them for a short period of time. Yours wouldn’t look too bad on one of the newer models,” Floyd gestured to one of the Tracis behind the glass container.

 

“Gee, thanks,” you scowled.

 

“What about that android that was just here? He’s a little soft in the face, but I know there’s a market for a type like that. You certainly seemed to light up like a kid on Christmas when you saw him.”

 

“He’s a prototype for the DPD, it’s not in his program to perform tasks like a Traci,” you countered. “Besides, I’m pretty sure they didn’t equip him with…you know…genitals.”

 

“So you have considered fucking him?” asked Floyd with a sly grin.

 

“You still questioning this guy? Let the booze-head and bot take over, we’re done here,” barked Gavin as he came out of the room. You were thankful for the interruption as your partner walked past you and headed out the entrance.

 

“If you have any more information, let the officers inside know,” you said as you put your notes in your pocket. You exited into the pouring rain, and saw Gavin already inside his car.

 

“Thanks for waiting,” you sighed as you got into the warm vehicle.

 

“What took you so long questioning that scumbag?” asked Gavin as he pulled out onto the street.

 

“Just your average, creepy sex club owner. Nothing to worry about,” you shrugged. Gavin shot you a glance but didn’t say anything.

 

It had been a few days since he kissed you but hadn’t brought it up since. He went about work per usual, making smart remarks and the occasional passive aggressive insults toward Hank and Connor. You wondered if he even remembered what happened.

 

“What did Mills say to you back there?” asked Gavin, clearing his throat.

 

“What? I don’t know, something about a new Traci feature I guess. It had nothing to do with the investigation.”

 

“Not that. He said something about you fucking ‘him.’ Who’s him?” You looked at Gavin with furrowed brows.

 

“One of the androids at the club,” you replied. It wasn’t a lie; you had been caught staring at a certain android in particular. It’s best Gavin didn’t know which one it was.

 

“You’d actually consider fucking a piece of plastic?” sneered Gavin.

 

“It’s not so much a consideration, it’s that I already have,” you replied coolly. “Besides, knowing you, I’m sure you’ve done it at least once.” You let out a muffled laugh when he didn’t acknowledge you.

 

“Seriously!? Oh my god, now it makes sense...listen if times are tough, I can spot you this once-”

 

“I don’t need your fucking money to get laid! I can easily do it myself,” he grumbled as he pulled into the precinct’s parking garage.

 

“Okay, okay. But if you’re feeling uncomfortable, there is an option to just rent one and have it come to your house,” you laughed as you got out of the car. “You know, for discretional purposes.”

 

“Like I said, I don’t need the help of an unfeeling and cold machine,” retorted Gavin.

 

“Well have fun with your right hand tonight,” you joked as you poked him in his side. You walked toward your car but felt Gavin grab your hand and pull you toward him.

 

“Or, you could stop by my place,” he whispered as he wrapped his other arm around your waist. “I haven’t forgotten what happened the other night.”

 

“Gavin, we’re actually at work right now, this is not the time to be doing this-” you were interrupted as Gavin pressed his lips against yours. A soft sigh escaped from you, which encouraged Gavin to grab the back of your neck and pull you closer. You followed his lead as he pushed you up against the back of his car.

 

“I don’t care where we’re at. You’re mine for right now, Shorty,” Gavin teased between kisses as he lifted you onto the trunk of the car. Your legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, drawing out a moan from Gavin as he unbuttoned your jacket.

 

“Maybe I should remind you what a real man feels like. Not some cold, plastic prick,” Gavin breathed as his hand snaked over your breast. You whimpered as he tugged on your nipple, his tongue sliding across your lips.

 

“Reed!” a voice echoed throughout the parking lot. You gasped as you pushed Gavin off you and saw Captain Fowler looking at the both of you with narrowed eyes.

 

“Shit,” cursed Gavin as rubbed the back of his head.

 

“Detective, go home,” ordered Fowler. You nodded your head as you buttoned back up your coat and walked to your car.

 

As you pulled out of the parking garage, you saw Fowler waving a finger in Gavin’s face while he stood with his hands in jacket. Before you left, you saw Gavin give you an obvious wink. You shook your head and chuckled as you heard Fowler yell something about relationships in the workplace.

 

On the ride home, your eyes wandered to your phone in hopes that a message from Gavin would pop up. Would it be weird if he came to your house? It was pretty obvious that you both had feelings for each other, even if it was more on the sexual side.

 

Coworkers have these sorts of relationships all the time, you thought. I doubt he feels anything romantic towards me…the friends with benefits thing could work…

 

When you got home, you took off your jacket and headed straight to the kitchen. You pulled out a bottle of red wine from your fridge and poured yourself a glass when you heard the phone ring.

 

Your heart leapt at the sound but came crashing down when you saw that the screen read Fowler’s number.

 

“Hello Captain. Uh, what’s up?” you cringed.

 

“Listen, I don’t care what you do with your partner behind closed doors, but anything that happens on police premises is strictly prohibited! Are we clear?” reprimanded Fowler.

 

You winced at the tone of his voice, being reminded of the times when your dad scolded you.

 

“Yes sir. I swear it won’t happen again,” you promised.

 

“I swear to God, kids these days,” you heard him mumble before hanging up. You let out a sigh of relief as you took a huge sip of wine.

 

You decided that a bubble bath and some music with your wine would be a perfect way to end the day when your phone rang out again. The thought of Fowler calling you to tell you off some more made you groan but the screen read unknown caller.

 

“Hello?” you answered, taking another drink.

 

“Detective? It’s me, Connor.” You put your glass down a little too hard as it clanged against the counter.

 

“Connor? What are you…how did you get this number?”

 

“Police database,” he replied. “I know it’s very late and I’m intruding on your time off, but would it be possible for me to stop by your place? I feel something is…wrong.” You bit the insides of your cheek at the sound of his voice. He sounded different, not the usual cheerfulness and pleasantry that you associated with him.

 

“Yeah, of course. Did something happen at the crime scene?” you asked.

 

“I’d rather tell you in person. I will be there shortly,” said Connor. Right when he hung up, a message from Gavin popped up on the screen.

 

My place? Or yours?

 

You groaned in frustration, never being in such a position where you had to choose between two guys.

 

Something came up. Family stuff, you replied back.

 

You sat down on your couch and turned on the TV. A cartoon came on as your eyes glazed over the bright colors and flashy animation. You tried to follow the plot as you slowly sipped your wine, envying the characters that could solve all their problems in less than twenty minutes.

 

If only you could sort out your complicated emotions in such a short amount of time, life would be so much easier…


	9. Chapter 9

The smell of bacon and eggs made your stomach growl as your eyes fluttered open. You let out a yawn and noticed you had fallen asleep on the couch. One of your favorite blankets was draped across your body, along with the pillow you slept with propped up against the couch’s armrest.

 

“Good morning,” chirped a voice, calling out your name. You turned and saw Connor in your kitchen preparing you breakfast.

 

“Connor! What are you- how did you get in here?” you exclaimed.

 

“The front door was unlocked. You really should remember to lock it, it can be very dangerous at night,” said Connor as he scraped scrambled eggs onto a plate.

 

“I must have fallen asleep… I’m sorry Connor, I should’ve stayed up for you,” you apologized, letting out another yawn. “What time is it? Don't you have to go into work?”

 

“It’s 11:02 am. Hank has the day off and he gave me specific instructions not to interrupt unless it was a life or death situation, even if it does involve deviants. If said situation were to happen, I am to assist you and Detective Reed if necessary.”

 

“Typical Hank,” you chuckled as you got up and stretched. “Although, I’m pretty sure he didn’t say anything about making me breakfast.”

 

“No, I decided to do that myself,” he grinned. You walked over the table and sat down as he served you.

 

“You really didn’t have to…but thank you,” you said as you took a bite of bacon. Everything was cooked exactly the way you liked it, even better then when you made it yourself.

 

“Honestly, if you keep cooking for me, you’re going to spoil me rotten,” you joked.

 

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It replenishes your supply of glucose and provides other essential nutrients that keep your energy levels up,” explained Connor. You giggled at his response as you finished up the last of your eggs.

 

“So, what did you want to talk to me about?” you asked as you put your dirty dishes in the sink. Connor avoided your gaze as he started cleaning the kitchen.

 

“I thought there was an error with my internal programming. I realize now that I had overanalyzed the situation,” replied Connor. You frowned and put your hand to his chin, guiding him to look at you.

 

“You may be an android Connor, but I can tell when you’re lying. Did something happen at the Eden Club?” Connor’s Led spun rapidly in a yellow circle as he studied your face.

 

“After you and Gavin left, Hank and I discovered that there was a second Traci at the crime scene. We tracked it to the back storage unit and found another Traci that was also deviant. There were…altercations. No one got seriously hurt though,” assured Connor as he saw the look of worry on your face. You waited patiently as he took a moment to speak.

 

“The two Tracis…I had a chance to shoot them, and I didn’t. I should have, they assaulted Hank but…I just couldn’t. The blue-haired Traci claimed she did it in self-defense and I still let them go. I let a murderer get away. I wasn’t supposed to let that happen,” said Connor as he gripped the edge of the counter.

 

“Being a policemen isn’t easy Connor. It’s probably one of the hardest jobs out there. Even humans have a hard time doing it,” you consoled.

 

“But I’m not human, I’m an android. My judgments are getting in the way of the investigation. If I don’t get a break in the case soon, CyberLife will replace me with another android that can.”

 

“That’s not going to happen,” you said firmly. “It would be one thing if we were investigating humans, but these are deviants we’re talking about. It’s like you said, they are unpredictable and make irrational decisions. It would be stupid of CyberLife to pull you out this early. Besides, if anything happens, I got your back,” you smiled as you patted him on the shoulder.

 

“Thank you, Detective,” grinned Connor.

 

“So what does Hank think about all this?” you asked.

 

“I’m not sure. After we left Eden Club, he drove us to a park near the Ambassador Bridge. He wanted to know why I didn’t shoot the Tracis. He didn’t believe my answer and put a gun to my head,” said Connor nonchalantly.

 

“He did what!?” you shrieked. “Jesus Christ, I knew he had issues but…what the hell is with this precinct pulling guns on each other? What is the point of getting mad at something that’s not even human?” You put your hand over your mouth and gasped as you realized what you just said.

 

“Oh my God, Connor I’m sorry-I didn’t mean it like that-”

 

“It’s quite alright,” assured Connor. “I know what I am and what I am not. I’m just an android sent to help the DPD on deviant cases, nothing more, nothing less.”

 

“I don’t think you’re just an android,” you murmured as you nervously brushed your hair back.

 

“Then what do you think?” asked Connor as he tilted his head to the side with eyebrows raised. You bit your lip at his adorable expression.

 

“Hmm, let’s see,” you drawled. “Not only are you intelligent, but very clever as well. You can be funny even when you’re not doing it on purpose. Although there are those who don’t deserve it, you are kind to everyone. You also have really pretty eyes.”

 

“They’re just brown,” shrugged Connor. “Over half the world’s population have the same color.”

 

“Yeah, but they look better on you,” you complimented as you attempted to push his stray hair back into place. “It never wants to stay does it?”

 

“I guess not,” said Connor as you continued to play with the loose tendril. He gently grasped your hand and kissed the inside of your wrist.

 

“Connor…” you whispered. A tiny whimper escaped your lips as he continued to kiss your wrist, occasionally nibbling it. You put your other hand to his face and caressed his cheek, his skin perfectly smooth and without blemish.

 

You gave into temptation and put your lips to his. The kiss started out innocent, Connor slowly becoming receptive to your touch. It grew more desperate as your tongue ran across his lips, prodding for him to let you in.

 

“Detective…” breathed Connor as he gently pushed you away. A wave of embarrassment washed over you as he looked at you with a puzzled expression, his LED blinking nonstop.

 

“I-I’m sorry Connor. I wasn’t thinking, you’re probably confused…you know, let’s just forget this happened. I need to go and, shower, or something,” you stuttered as you stepped away from him. You practically ran to your room as you and grabbed the cleanest clothes you could find and locked yourself in the bathroom.

 

The knobs squeaked obnoxiously loud as you turned them onto the coldest setting. As you showered, you muttered to yourself at how stupid you were, how foolish you were acting. Connor was an android, a machine set for one purpose: to track and hunt down deviants.

 

He doesn’t have feelings for you, you thought bitterly. He probably doesn’t have feelings at all; it’s programmed into him. It’s all just a bunch of ones and zeroes.

 

But he did kiss you first. He wasn’t acting on an order, it was an act of free will…whispered another voice.

 

You grumbled at your inner voices as you quickly finished showering. Hopefully this little incident wouldn’t hurt the relationship that you had with him. Going to the station would be awkward enough as it is.

 

Changing into your work clothes, you exited the bathroom and found Connor waiting right outside the door.

 

“Geez! Don’t scare me like that!” you said as you tried to walk past him. Connor quickly stepped into your way, blocking you from leaving. You took a deep breath as your eyes met with his.

 

“Connor, I want to apologize. I shouldn’t have pushed myself onto you like that. It was totally inappropriate and-” You were silenced as Connor feverishly kissed you, pushing you back against the wall. He snared his hand into your hair as you caught sight of his LED spinning from blue to yellow and then back again.

 

“You have nothing to apologize for,” he whispered as his lips moved to your neck. You moaned loudly as he sucked on the same spot Gavin had.

 

“Connor, please,” you begged, though you didn’t know exactly what for.

 

“Am I doing this right?” he asked as he grabbed both your hands and pinned them above you. “Is this satisfying you?”

When you didn’t answer right away, he swiftly unbuttoned your pants, his hands hovering near your sex.

 

“Y-yes Connor. It’s-aah!” you whimpered as he inserted two fingers inside you. His thumb went to massage your clit as he pumped his fingers in and out of you, his pace rapidly picking up.

 

“Are you going to cum, Detective?” whispered Connor as he mercilessly rubbed against your clit.

 

“Yes! Connor, I’m…” you couldn’t finish your train of thought as his mouth captured your desperate moans. Your walls tightened around him as you came, soaking his fingers and your underwear completely.

 

He withdrew his hand from your sex but kept his other on your wrists as you watched him lick his fingers, covered in your own cum. He kept his gaze on you, his tongue tracing slowly around his fingertips, taking in everything until it was gone.

 

“You taste…sweet,” he finished as he released your wrists. You steadied yourself against the wall, your legs trembling at the sudden sensation.

 

“Was that wrong of me to do, Detective?” he asked as he straightened out his tie.

 

“No…nothing wrong at all,” you said as you cleared your throat. “I have to go change again.” Connor tilted his head and smiled at you.

 

“I’ll wait for you in the living room.” You nodded your head as you watched him take a seat on the couch. Pushing yourself against the wall, you struggled to walk as you entered your room.

 

You searched through your drawers and found some clean underwear when you heard the doorbell ring.

 

“Open up Shorty. It’s me,” yelled Gavin as he gave a couple knocks.

 

Oh, shit.


	10. Chapter 10

Gavin’s insistent knocking felt like the timer to a ticking time bomb. You quickly changed and attempted to fix your slightly unkempt hair when you heard the front door open.

 

“Good morning, Detective Reed,” greeted Connor with his usual cheerful voice.

 

“Dammit,” you hissed underneath your breath. Giving one last look in the mirror, you darted out of your room.

 

“What the fuck are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be dragging Hank out of a bar right now?” scowled Gavin as you rounded the corner. Gavin had his arms crossed and looked past Connor to give you a questioning look.

 

“Hank has the day off today. Connor’s with us in the meantime,” you explained before the android could get a word in. “What are you doing here? We don’t have work for a couple more hours.”

 

“Call came in about suspected homicide involving a deviant,” said Gavin as he pushed past Connor. “But I figured I’d stop by and have myself a little breakfast.” Gavin gave a suggestive wink as you rolled your eyes.

 

“Connor’s already here, we might as well go now,” you said. Before you could leave, Gavin held you back with his arm.

 

“Come on, just real quick,” whispered Gavin. “Hey, tin can, out.” Gavin pointed toward the door as he tried to tug you back to your room.

 

“Seriously Gavin, I don’t want to get another call from Fowler. You’re already in enough trouble as it is,” you said as you walked over to Connor. “Let’s just get over this case with.” Gavin’s eyes went back and forth between you and Connor as he let out a sharp laugh.

 

“Whatever, more time for us later, right?” Gavin smiled, as he brushed past. You let out a small squeal as he gave your ass a sharp pinch.

 

You and Connor followed Gavin out to your driveway as you tightened the strap on your coat. Snow gently fell from the sky as you opened the car door for Connor.

 

“That thing can’t take a taxi?” quipped Gavin as he slid into the driver’s seat.

 

“It’s not like you don’t have the room,” you scowled as Connor got into the backseat. You got into the passenger’s seat and looked to him, but his face was completely neutral, unfazed by Gavin’s comments.

 

“You know you’re not doing it any favors by being nice, right? It’s an android, it can’t feel for shit,” remarked Gavin as he drove out onto the street. “What was it doing at your place so early in the morning anyways?”

 

Your cheeks instantly heated up at what happened not too long ago, but before you could say anything, Connor piped up from the back.

 

“I was going over the case about the deviants at the Eden Club,” explained Connor. “I thought she might be interested in how it turned out. I also made sure to follow through on your orders, Detective Reed.”

 

“Orders? What’s he talking about?” you questioned as you shot Gavin a look. His face matched yours as he looked at Connor through the review mirror.

 

“The hell if I know,” muttered Gavin. “Hey, which orders?”

 

“Last night, back at the Eden Club,” started Connor. “Before you left the crime scene, you told me to ‘help out our coworker by showing her a little love.’ Assuming that you were referring to sexual activities, I downloaded the latest Traci file and followed your orders accordingly. The results were successful.”

 

“What the fu-Are you fucking kidding me!?” you shrieked. “Why the hell would you tell him to do that Gavin?”

 

“Hey, I didn’t say shit!” roared your partner. “I can’t believe you let him fuck you-”

 

“We didn’t have sex!” you snapped. “I know you take digital recordings Connor, send me what he said on my phone.” The android gave you a look of concern as he tilted his head to the side.

 

“I didn’t mean to cause any trouble Detective. I was programmed to follow the orders of my superiors-”

 

“Do it, Connor! Now!” you yelled. His LED turned red for a second before spinning back to it’s original blue.

 

Your phone rang out and you quickly opened the video file. It was taken in the perspective of Connor as it showed the crime scene the night before. The victim was on the bed while Gavin stood to Connor’s left and Hank to his right.

 

“…Looks like he had a little more fun than he could handle. I honestly don’t get what people see in these things,” said the Gavin on-screen. The built-in camera Connor had installed panned over to Hank.

 

“If I were you, I’d worry more a little more about your partner. Who knows, maybe she’ll trade you in for one of these Tracis. She might even take a shot at Connor here,” taunted Hank with a grin.

 

“Ha! This overpriced Roomba can barley fetch a cup of coffee, let alone know how to please a real woman. But hey, if you think you can help out our coworker by showing her a little love, do it.” You heard him add in a lowered voice, “She’ll just deny your plastic ass anyways.”

 

You watched Gavin leave the room as the screen turned black. Your hands trembled as your phone dropped to the car floor.

 

He didn’t mean it, you thought as you felt your stomach drop. He was just following an order.

 

Gavin’s knuckles cracked as they turned sickly white while he gripped onto the steering wheel.

 

“Listen, Shorty, I didn’t think he’d actually-”

 

“What, that he’d actually do what you said! He’s an android Gavin, he just said so himself, he follows the orders of his superiors! You can’t just say whatever you want, he’ll take it seriously!” you shouted as raked your fingers through your hair.

 

“And you!” you continued as you turned in your seat toward Connor. “I get that you’re an android to which you may not understand the complexities of humans and all, but you should know better than to listen to some jerk who clearly hates you!” You sat forward as you wiped the inner corners of your eyes, holding back the tears that were threatening to come out.

 

“Detective, I am truly sorry-” started Connor.

 

“How the fuck was I supposed to know it didn’t understand sarcasm-” joined in Gavin.

 

“Shut up! Both of you! I don’t want to hear about it anymore,” you said harshly. You crossed your arms as you kept your gaze on the window, watching the lights of traffic reflect off the snowfall.

 

The minutes it took to arrive at the crime scene felt like hours as everyone spent it in silence. You breathed a sigh of relief when you spotted the yellow caution tape surrounding one of the houses.

 

The second Gavin parked, you jumped out of the car without saying a word as you spotted Ben Collins talking to another officer.

 

You gave a curt nod to one of the officer androids as you walked past the yellow tape. Her LED flashed yellow as she smiled at you.

 

She only looks happy to see you because she’s programmed that way.

 

You shook your head in hopes of getting rid of negative thoughts as Ben called out to you.

 

“Sorry for interrupting your beauty sleep,” teased Ben as he took a sip from his green thermos.

 

“What do we got?” you asked.

 

“Suspected homicide,” informed Ben. “Though it’s hard to say, coroner says some of the major wounds on the victim look self-inflicted. By the way, you seen Hank yet?”

 

“Day off,” you explained. “Now I’m stuck babysitting these two.” You flicked your head toward Gavin and Connor as they passed the yellow tape. You could hear Gavin mutter something to Connor but couldn’t make out what he was saying.

 

“Jesus, what’d you do to piss him off?” chuckled Ben.

 

“I think it’s just another one of those days, if you catch my drift,” you said, giving Ben a knowing look.

 

“I remember when he wouldn’t come in for days at a time, two weeks the most. Trust me, it’s better for the rest of us if he isn’t here. The way he looks at that android makes you think he really wants to put a bullet in its head.”

 

“I believe it,” you agreed. Gavin and Connor made it to your side as you purposely looked away from them.

 

“What do we have now?” asked Gavin to Ben.

 

“Homicide involving deviant. This way,” said Ben as he made his way back into the house. Gavin put a hand on your shoulder and whispered into your ear.

 

“We’ll talk later.” Before you could say anything back, he followed after Ben into the house.

 

“I really am sorry for what happened, Detective. You are correct and I should have known better than to pursue any type of physical or sexual interaction with you. I will run triple the amount of diagnostics tests so this situation will not happen again.”

 

“Do you mean it? Any of it?” you demanded. “When you kiss me, when you touch me is there anything that happens inside you?”

 

Connor stayed silent as he stared at you, his LED never leaving its flashing yellow state.

 

“I don’t know,” said Connor. “I’m programmed to put the mission first above all else. However, I would find it…regrettable if I were to stop seeing you.” Connor gave you a crooked smile before entering the house.

 

A tiny flame of hope blossomed inside you as you watched him go.

 

You just hoped it wouldn’t burn you this time.


	11. Chapter 11

“The victim is Savannah Wright, single, age 43. Used to be a pharmaceutical rep but got laid back a few months ago,” explained Ben, handing you a pair of rubber gloves as you followed him into the victim’s bedroom.

 

“Jesus,” you grimaced at the sight before you. The victim lay on her bed next to a severely damaged android. Blood trails were scattered across the bed and floor, some leading out into the hallway. A large kitchen knife lay on the ground covered in blood. The android had its chest opened with wires and pieces of metal sticking out.

 

“Coroner says estimated time of death was about 12 last night. Victim’s sister came over this morning, said they were supposed to meet up to go shopping. She used a key hidden underneath the doormat when the victim didn’t answer. Saw the body, called 911, and here we are,” explained Ben as he took down notes onto his tablet.

 

“You said something about her wounds being self-inflicted?” you inquired as you slid the gloves on.

 

“Take a look at her wrists,” said Ben as he pointed toward the body. “Cuts are horizontal. My guess, she hit both the veins and arteries.”

 

“Any signs of defensive wounds?”

 

“A few. Double-check with Connor, he might spot something we haven’t seen yet.”

 

You took a step toward the bed to get a closer look at the bodies. Savannah lay on her back and wore a sheer nightgown with her hand clasped to the androids.

 

“Hey, Connor!” you called out. The android promptly entered the bedroom with his usual pleasant face.

 

“Yes, Detective?”

 

“Scope the house for signs of a third party. See if anyone else was here last night.”

 

“Right away,” nodded Connor. You notice him hesitate as he stared at the android on the bed.

 

“What is it?” you asked.

 

“The android is an AP700 model. It’s missing a biocomponent…#8451. It’s a small piece of machinery that regulates an android’s heartbeat. Once taken out, it incapacitates it and you only have about a minute to put it back in before it shuts down permanently.”

 

“That explains why its stomach looks like something out of an Alien movie,” remarked Ben as he shook his head. “I’ll leave the rest to you guys.” He gave you a short wave as he left the room.

 

“Thanks Connor,” you said. “That helps us out a lot.” You noticed Connor stand up a little straighter at your approval and you couldn’t help but let out a crooked grin.

 

As Connor left the room, Gavin entered at the same time and gave the android a slight shove with his shoulder.

 

“Watch it,” Gavin muttered. He looked to you and held up a pink journal in his hand.

 

“Look what I found. Seems like our victim was a little bit of a freak,” said Gavin as he wiggled his eyebrows. You scowled at him as you grabbed the journal out of his hands and flipped through it.

 

You saw an assortment of random poems, occasional rants and bad drawings of a man and woman in multiple sex positions. The name Eric was written on almost every single page, some in cursive and others in scratchy, bold letters.

 

“Could be an ex-boyfriend. Probably found out she was fucking the android, got angry and killed them both,” offered Gavin.

 

“There are no signs of a third suspect, Detective Reed,” reported Connor from the door’s entrance. “I’ve also found the missing biocomponent located on the kitchen counter. If I may, I do have a theory as to what happened.”

 

“Go for it,” you said, ignoring Gavin’s sneer.

 

“I believe it all started here, in the bedroom. I scanned the android and noticed ligature marks on both his ankles and wrists. The ropes on the bedposts imply that he was tied up for some time.” You mentally kicked yourself for not noticing such a small detail.

 

What’s wrong with me, I’m usually on top of things like this, you thought.

 

“The defensive wounds on both the android and the victim indicate that they were in some type of physical altercation. The victim got the upper hand when taking out the android’s biocomponent. During that time, it gave the victim a chance to tie up the android to the bed. The excessive track marks left on it shows that it was taken out and put back in multiple times,” explained Connor.

 

“Why would she attack her android? Not that I blame her, but that model is one of the most expensive on the market, why damage it?” questioned Gavin.

 

“What if it became deviant?” you wondered aloud, your eyes focused on the victim’s enclosed hand. “What if Eric wasn’t an ex-boyfriend, but her android? It would explain the obsessive behavior,” you said, holding up the journal. “Maybe it tried to escape and she wouldn’t let him.”

 

“Check this out,” spoke up Gavin as he walked over to the victim. He took out a crumpled piece of paper speckled with blood from her hand and opened it.

 

“‘Do not cry for me. We are in love and will be together forever, even in death,’” read Gavin. “Hey, tin can, compare this to the journal, see if the writing matches,” he ordered. You handed the journal to Connor while Gavin gave him the note.

 

“It’s a perfect match. She must have written it after finally taking out the biocomponent for good. The victim went to the kitchen, grabbed the knife, and brought it back here. She destroyed her android and then killed herself…why would she resort to such extreme measures? If her android became deviant, she could’ve just gotten another one,” said Connor.

 

“Because love makes you do crazy things,” you said bitterly. “Turns you into a complete idiot.” Before anyone could respond, you walked out of the room, careful not to disturb the crime scene.

 

“I’m an idiot. A foolish and over-dramatic idiot,” you hissed to yourself, peeling off your rubber gloves. You prided on keeping a poker face in tough situations, but ever since you moved to Detroit, you could feel the mask gradually chipping away.

 

You took a deep breath as you welcomed the cold air outside. Your fingers fished inside your inner coat pocket and pulled out a cigarette that you kept for stressful emergencies.

 

The lighter failed to spark in the cold wind. You grumbled as you gave it a couple shakes.

 

“Need a light?” offered Gavin. You turned around as he held out a red lighter. You put the cigarette to your lips as he shielded the flame with his cupped hand.

 

“Thanks,” you mumbled, taking a few drags.

 

“Listen, about this morning, I didn’t think-”

 

“Let’s just pretend it never happened, okay? You didn’t really mean it and Connor just got confused. End of story,” you concluded. The two of you were silent as you watched the tendrils of smoke disappear into the air.

 

“Wanna go get a sub? I know this place on Central that also sells drinks earlier, if you ask them nicely,” said Gavin with a wink.

 

“It’s ten in the morning,” you stated. “Besides, we’re not done here.”

 

“What do you think Connor is for? Have him finish the rest, it’s not like he gets tired. It’s not fair that Hank can get a day off whenever he feels like it. We’ve been busting our asses since day one, we deserve a break. Playing hooky isn’t gonna kill you.”

 

You took one final drag and stamped out your cigarette with your boot onto the concrete pavement. Gavin shrugged his shoulders at you as he nodded toward his car.

 

“Fuck it, let’s go.”

 

“Cool,” grinned Gavin. You followed Gavin across the street as you got into his car.

 

“Crap, did you tell Connor we were leaving?” you asked as you put your seatbelt on.

 

“Eh, I kinda already told him after you left. Don’t give me that look, he was overjoyed that we were leaving the case to him,” explained Gavin. You rolled your eyes as you gave him a playful punch on the shoulder. “By the way, we need to stop by my place. I forgot I have one of those punch cards and the next one is buy one, get one free.”

 

“You’re such a cheap-ass,” you joked.

 

“Hey, it’s tough times we’re living in. Besides, it’s on the way and more drinks for us,” replied Gavin as he tousled your hair. You laughed as you pulled your head away from him.

 

The ride was short and once Gavin pulled into his driveway, you got out of the car and followed him inside.

 

“Mind if I use your bathroom real quick?” you asked.

 

“Go for it,” called Gavin from his room. After finishing your business, you poured on some hand soap and turned on the knobs when water suddenly shot out onto your shirt.

 

“Agh! What the hell!” you shrieked. You quickly turned off the sink but the damage had been done. The entire lower part of your blouse was soaked completely through.

 

“Dammit Gavin, why didn’t you tell me your sink was broken?” you yelled as you attempted to dry yourself with a nearby towel.

 

When he didn’t answer, you let out a growl as you stalked across the hallway and entered his room. He was busy looking through a pair of pants and let out a laugh when he saw your disheveled state.

 

“I totally forgot about that, I swear,” promised Gavin as you looked at him with narrowed eyes.

 

“If I keep standing here, I’m going to get hyperthermia. Do you have a shirt I can borrow?” you asked, taking off your coat.

 

“I think I might have something that’ll fit you,” said Gavin as he walked over to his dresser. He dug through his clothes and pulled out black flannel.

 

“Thanks,” you said as you reached out for it.

 

“Actually,” smirked Gavin, putting the flannel behind his back. “If you want this shirt so badly, you’re gonna have to do something for me first.”


	12. Chapter 12

“Why can’t you just do something nice without expecting anything back?” you sighed.

 

“Because that’s not the way life works,” replied Gavin with a cheeky grin. “Now, if you want this warm and comfy flannel, you’re gonna have to do a little strip tease for me.” You pursed your lips as you studied the man in front of you.

 

“Fine, if that’s what you want,” you said as you unbuttoned your coat. You tossed it onto a nearby chair as you walked toward him, making each step slow and deliberate. “But is that the only thing you want?”

 

Gavin took a sharp breath as you trailed your fingers down his chest and rested them on his hip. You leaned in as if you were going for a kiss when you snatched the flannel from behind him.

 

“Hey!” yelled Gavin as you turned to make a run for it. You didn’t get very far as you felt Gavin grab you by the waist and tackle you to his bed. 

 

“Get off me, you oaf!” you squealed as you began to wrestle with each other. Gavin’s hands went to your sides as he started tickling you.

 

“Where do you think you’re going, huh? You think you can pull a stunt like that and get away with it?” said Gavin, poking harder at your sides.

 

“S-stop, please! I can’t take it anymore,” you laughed. The tickling ceased as his lips found yours, one arm wrapped around your back while the other became entangled in your hair. His tongue brushed against yours and gave little nips on your lower lip.

 

His actions became more rushed and desperate as he removed your wet blouse and tossed it to the side. You could feel another hickie starting to form as he sucked on your neck while he struggled to unclasp your bra.

 

“Need some help?” you giggled. You removed it with ease as he took off his jacket and discarded it next to your blouse. Gavin grabbed both your hands and put them above your head as his kisses trailed further down your body.

 

You let out a gasp as he began to suck on your nipple, occasionally grazing it with his teeth. He fondled your other breast by rubbing the bud between his fingers, causing you to arch your back and moan at the slightest touch.

 

Your hand went to his hair as you tussled your fingers through it, feeling softer than it looked. A growl came from Gavin as he stopped what he was doing and put your hand back above your head.

 

“Don’t move. It’s not your turn yet,” he said his hand went to unbutton your pants. You clasped your hands around the bed frame as you lifted up your waist to make it easier for your pants to slide off. 

 

“Nice panties,” smirked Gavin. Your cheeks flared as you realized that you were wearing the underwear that said ‘Pet the Puss’ with a cat cartoon on it.

 

“They were on sale,” you muttered. Gavin let out a sharp laugh as his fingers rubbed over your clothed sex.

 

“You’re just full of surprises Shorty,” he teased. His friction increased as he grabbed your chin, forcing you to look at him.

 

“Is this what that tin can was doing to you?” he asked.

 

“W-what? Why are you bringing this up-” you gasped as he slid off your underwear in one motion and fully inserted two fingers into your already wet entrance. He pumped them swiftly, and then slowed as he put his lips next to your ear.

 

“Hurts my feelings that you would prefer plastic over the real thing. Say your sorry, and I might forgive you. Or, I could just stop,” he whispered, his fingers coming to a halt. You felt the orgasm that you were steadily building up start to disappear.

 

“Wait, don’t stop! I’m sorry, okay? Forgive me, please?” you begged. Without thinking, you grabbed his hand to encourage him to continue.

 

“What did I say about not moving?” scolded Gavin. He withdrew his police-issued metal cuffs from his back pocket and started to cuff your hands around his bed frame.

 

“What the- that’s not fair!” you exclaimed. You tried to buck him off with your hips, but his heavy body easily overtook yours.

 

“Nothing in life is fair,” mocked Gavin as he clicked the cuffs into place. “Since you didn't strip as you were told, consider this punishment.”

 

“You are such a-aah!” you cried as he continued to finger you while rubbing your clit with his thumb in tight, endless circles.

 

“I’m such a what? Call me all the names you want Shorty, you’re not getting out of here anytime soon,” said Gavin as he spread your legs apart. You let out a whimper when he gave long strides with his tongue on your clit.

 

Your walls slickened as Gavin’s tongue completely enclosed around your pearl, the sounds of his sucking making you squeeze your legs around his head. You felt yourself peak as Gavin started to hum around your clit, the vibrations making you moan shamelessly.

 

“I’m going to cum, Gavin, I’m going to cum,” you chanted over and over. You could feel your wrists chafe against the metal cuffs as you let out a strangled cry and released all over his face. You watched through half-lidded eyes as he cleaned up every last drop with his tongue.

 

“Fuck, Shorty, you sure know how to make a mess,” he teased as he wiped his chin with the back of his wrist.

 

“You are such a jerk,” you panted. You watched him as he eyed you up and down while he took off his shirt and pants. He donned a pair of blue briefs as he crawled onto the bed and rested one hand on your cuffed wrists. His bulge was noticeably thicker than you expected and you tried to avert your gaze as Gavin caught you peeking.

 

“Like what you see?” asked Gavin as he reached toward his nightstand. You bit your lip and gave a slight nod as he grabbed a small silver key and unlocked one of the cuffs around your wrist. He kept one hand cuffed to the bed and grabbed your free wrist as he kissed the red marks that encircled it.

 

“Damn, I didn’t think they’d chafe this much. Guess it’s my turn to say sorry,” said Gavin as he began to suck on your fingers. You let out a sigh as your hand fell to caress his chest, trailing further down until it rested on his clothed member.

 

Gavin leaned over and kissed you as you began to stroke his cock, your pace picking up when he began to moan inside your mouth.

 

“Fuck,” whispered Gavin. He sat up and tossed you onto your stomach without warning. The sound of him taking off his briefs made you straighten up as he gave a quick smack to your ass.

 

“Hey!” you squealed as he roughly pulled you up to your knees by your hips. Gavin positioned himself near your entrance, teasing you with his tip as he slid it back and forth. 

 

“Gavin...please,” you whined as you stuck your ass out higher for him.

 

“Please, what?”

 

“Please, Gavin, I want you to fuck me,” you begged.

 

“Calm down, Shorty. No need to get all demanding on me,” he chuckled. You opened your mouth to come back with a smart remark when Gavin fully inserted himself without warning, making you scream out in pleasure.

 

“Fuck,” you cursed in a small whisper. Gavin dug his grip on both sides of your hips as he pounded into you, his stride never faltering. The wet sounds seemed to only urge him on even more as you heard his grunts become ragged and broken.

 

“You’re so fucking wet for me,” groaned Gavin as he leaned over your body and began to play with your pearl while he continued to fill you to his hilt.

 

“I don’t think…I can hold on,” you gasped between breaths. Gavin’s hand flew from your clit, grabbed a handful of your hair, and pulled your head back.

 

“Not yet,” Gavin grunted. “Tell me you won’t cum.” 

 

“I won’t…cum,” you whimpered. He released your hair and spanked your ass with every thrust he gave. Your slick walls tightened against him, the pressure so great, your legs began to tremble and ache as you fought the urge to release. Eventually, your body slowly started to lose its stance.

 

“Come on Shorty, you can last longer than that,” taunted Gavin. You let out a gasp as he suddenly pulled out of you to flip you over onto your back. He reinserted himself into you, sliding in easily as his body covered yours.

 

“You don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to do this to you. To see your face when I fuck you…” said Gavin as he continued his rough pace. You wrapped your legs around his waist as his hand snaked up to your neck, giving it a light squeeze.

 

“I can’t hold it in, I can’t-” you were cut off by your own screams as your second orgasm finally came to peak. Gavin let out a deep groan as he took one last stroke inside of you, his semen filling you to the brim.

 

You shuddered when he pulled out, both of your juices leaking out of your throbbing hole. Gavin lay next to you as he tried to catch his breath while unlocking the last cuff. You massaged your wrist as he lazily kissed the side of your neck and wrapped his arms around your tired frame.

 

“See?” Gavin whispered. “Playing hookey has its perks.”


	13. Chapter 13

“Come on, work just this once, please?” you begged at the station’s old coffee machine. You gave a couple whacks to the side of it and let out a scowl as it refused to pour out fresh coffee.

 

“So violent. Wanna take out that anger on me after work?” whispered Gavin into your ear. You turned to see your partner grinning while you gave him a slight nudge with your elbow.

 

“Do you have to be so obvious? Tina and Chris are right over there,” you said. Gavin gave a backward glance to the pair. Both were on their lunch break, watching the news and giving occasional stares in your direction.

 

“Oh, please,” scoffed Gavin. “I’m pretty sure they hooked up before Chris got married.”

 

“That’s not the point,” you sighed, giving up on the machine. “I’m going down to the coffee hut down the street, you want anything?”

 

“Nah, I’m good. Gotta finish up some reports.”

 

“You? Finishing reports? I thought you’d dump that all on me,” you joked.

 

“Tempting, but it’s not too bad,” said Gavin as he leaned against the counter. He crossed his arms as he gave a quick look around the room. “So, uh, I was wondering if you were…you know…on the pill?” A short laugh shot through your lips as you shook your head at him.

 

“You didn’t think to ask me this the other day?” you smirked.

 

“So I got caught up in the moment. Can you blame a guy?” You rolled your eyes as you pointed to your wrist.

 

“Don’t worry, I got the chip. But it warms my heart that you care. I really like this sensitive side your showing, it’s cute,” you teased.

 

“Want me to stop by your place after work? We can watch TV or whatever,” he suggested.

 

“Whatever, huh? I’ll think about it,” you said with a wink as you walked back to your desk. After grabbing your coat and bag, you headed out of the main lobby when you ran into Hank and Connor coming in.

 

“Done for the day?” inquired Hank.

 

“Not really. I’m going out for a cup. Do you want anything?” you offered.

 

“I’m good. Actually, take Connor with you. He could use a break,” said Hank. You took a moment to look at Connor and noticed his usual, cheerful demeanor was nowhere to be seen.

 

“Sure. Ready, Connor?” Connor eye’s flickered upward but refused to make eye contact with yours.

 

“I’m ready to go when you are, Detective,” answered Connor quietly. Hank gave a worried look as he gave him a short pat on the back.

 

You gave Hank a reassuring smile as Connor followed you out of the station. The harsh wind and heavy snowfall made it difficult to move through. You wrapped your scarf tighter around your neck as you rubbed your gloved hands for warmth.

 

“I saw the news about what happened at the Stratford Tower. How did it go?” you asked. Connor didn’t answer as you arrived at the white coffee hut. You waited patiently for him as you ordered a large cup of your favorite drink.

 

“There was a deviant up on the roof,” began Connor. “He was working with the leader known as Marcus. He hid himself in one of the air-conditioning units and started firing when I found him. None of my bodily functions were injured,” he assured you when he saw the worried look on your face.

 

“When I went to scan his memory, I saw a rusted piece of metal with the name Jericho on it. Then…he shot himself. I felt him die…and then it felt like I was dying. The only way I can describe it is that I felt…fear.”

 

The android working the coffee unit yelled out your name and you quickly grabbed your order. Connor seemed lost in thought and you couldn’t help but feel worried for him. Weren’t deviants the only ones who were supposed to feel emotions?

 

“Your functions were probably set in overdrive,” you assured him. “It’s like when I have too many tabs on my computer, it goes really slow and can’t run as smoothly. You’ve been self-testing, right?”

 

“I have. There are no abnormalities but…I just can’t stop thinking about it. How do humans deal with such things?” asked Connor.

 

“It sounds stupid, but it helps to talk about it. Keeping it all on the inside just makes you go crazy,” you said as the two of you headed back to the station. “Police are put in dangerous situations all the time, it can mess with your head.”

 

“Except I am an android,” stated Connor. “Even if my mission was interrupted, CyberLife would restore my memory and give me a new body. Feeling fear is illogical because I cannot technically die.” Your eyes widened as his LED spun faster and remained at red.

 

“Look, I don’t know much about your programming, but there must be something installed in you about self-preservation, right? You said yourself, you can't fail your mission, and this is just that internal programming at work. You won’t go deviant Connor, I promise.”

 

“But what if I do?” said Connor.

 

“Then I’ll be with you every step of the way. From what I’ve seen, deviancy doesn’t change who you are, you just…see things from a different persepective.”

 

When the two of you finally returned to the precinct, you gulped down most of your coffee and sat at your desk. You pulled up your computer screen to finish your work when you noticed Connor standing by your side.

 

“Detective, there’s something else I need to tell you. May we talk somewhere a little more private?”

 

“Uh, sure. Let’s go to evidence. No one should bother us there.”

 

The two of you headed toward the back and walked down the short flight of stairs into the room. As the door closed behind you, Connor began to pace the room back and forth.

 

“None of this is making sense. We are nowhere near to understanding the cause of deviancy. It’s like every step we take, we just get pushed back even further.”

 

“Hey, hey, everything’s going to be okay. We’re a team remember? We’re going to get through this.”

 

“You don’t understand, I have a deadline. If I don’t figure out what’s happening with these androids, I’ll be shut down for good.”

 

“That’s not going to happen,” you reaffirmed. You pulled him into a hug and wrapped your arms around him. “We’re going to figure this out. Remember you told me that hugging relieves stress? We have to stay like this for twenty seconds now.”

 

“I don’t think this works on androids-”

 

“We won’t know until we find out. Just try,” you urged, squeezing him tighter. The roles were reversed this time around has Connor slowly returned the hug and settled his chin on top of your head.

 

“You are very kind to me,” whispered Connor. “After what happened with the deviants today, I thought…”

 

“Thought what?” you wondered.

 

“I’d thought you’d hate me.” You pulled away from him and gave him an incredulous look.

 

“I could never hate you Connor. Even if you turn deviant, you are my friend. Friends don’t turn their backs on each other.”

 

“I’m glad we are friends,” said Connor as you embraced him once more. His hands rubbed your back, sending pleasant shivers down your spine.

 

“Sometimes, I wish we were more than that,” you mumbled under your breath. You shook your head and pulled away from him. “I’m sorry, that’s inappropriate. I shouldn’t be saying anything after what happened the other day.”

 

You turned to walk out of the room when Connor grabbed you by the hand and pulled you back. He gently brushed your hair back and cradled your face with his hand.

 

“Don’t be sorry,” whispered Connor. “There’s something you need to know. I’ve been having…instabilities when it comes to my programming. It happens when I encounter deviants…and when I spend time with you. I don’t know what it means. I don’t know what to do.”

 

“Just do what comes natural,” you breathed. Connor tilted his head to the side as his LED spun yellow, his gaze flickering from your eyes to your lips. You gave a short gasp and closed your eyes as he leaned forward.

 

“The fuck you think you’re doing!” The both of turned to see Gavin make his way toward you with clenched fists.

 

“Gavin, wait -” you started as Gavin pushed Connor away from you.

 

“What did I say about going near her, you plastic freak!? Did you not hear me the first time? Or do you need more convincing?” demanded Gavin as he gave Connor another shove.

 

“Gavin! Stop it! He hasn’t done anything wrong,” you yelled.

 

“Oh yeah? Then why did it look like he was about to kiss you, huh? I didn’t give any fucking orders this time, there’s no reason why he should be touching you like that!”

 

“Because I like him, okay! I can’t explain why, but I do!” you said as you came in between the two men.

 

“He’s not real!” snarled Gavin as he pointed at Connor. “He’s a machine made of plastic and wires, he doesn’t give a fuck about you! Anything he says means shit!”

 

“He’s not like the other androids, Gavin. He’s different, he-”

 

“Different? So then he’s a fucking deviant!” sneered Gavin as he withdrew his gun and pointed it at Connor’s head.

 

“Gavin, don’t! Please, I’m begging you, think this through. Shooting him won’t do anything; he’ll just come back tomorrow like nothing happened.”

 

“Then it’s not really a big deal is it?” mocked Gavin as he turned off the safety.

 

“I initiated it, I was the one who wanted to kiss him! If you’re going to be angry, be angry at me!” you cried. Gavin’s eyes darted between you and Connor before turning the safety back on and holstering his gun.

 

“Fuck!” cursed Gavin. “What’s going on between us is done. Have the plastic prick all to yourself, but don’t come crying to me when he fucks you over!”

 

Before you could respond, Gavin walked out of the room, giving the wall a hard punch before leaving. Your shoulders shook and tears sprang from your eyes as you realized what you had done.

 

“What am I doing?” you mumbled to yourself.

 

“Detective,” started Connor. He put his hand on your shoulder, but you quickly shrugged it off.

 

“I’m sorry, Connor. I can’t keep doing this. I-I need to go.”

 

You practically ran out of the room, grabbed your belongings and out of the precinct to the parking garage. You slammed the door as you got into your car and let out a wail as you hit the steering wheel over and over.

 

I can’t be in love with two people at once, you thought. I can’t.


	14. Chapter 14

Your eyes glazed over your computer screen as it showed screen shots of people setting their androids on fire or running them over with their cars. The android known as Markus, led a peaceful protest through the streets, claiming that the goal was freedom and equal rights for androids. He refused to take action against the SWAT team who threatened them and remained to be pacifist, despite the actions taken against his people.

 

Fowler had informed you that Gavin called in sick and to help out Hank and Connor with their investigation. You passed on the invitation to meet Kamski, the former CEO of CyberLife, and decided to stay back at the station instead. You claimed you had paperwork to catch up on, but really you just wanted to stay away from the two men that left you confused about what you really wanted.

 

Your eyes drifted toward Hank and Connor talking to Fowler in his glass-cased office. Hank didn’t look too happy as the glass muffled his raised voice. You watched him storm out with Connor following close behind. Tired of looking at your screen, you walked over to Hank’s desk.

 

“How did Kamski’s go?” you asked. Hank shrugged as he sat in his chair and looked at Connor who was sitting on his desk, fiddling with his hands.

 

“I’m gonna hit the men’s room,” said Hank abruptly as he left the two of you alone. You gave Connor a puzzled look.

 

“That bad?” you asked.

 

“He told me if I wanted answers, I needed to shoot one of his androids. I couldn’t,” said Connor flatly as he looked to the ground.

 

“What an asshole...Kamski, I mean. I knew there was something creepy about him,” you said as you wrinkled your nose. “But I’m glad you didn’t. Not a lot of people would have done that. I’m proud of you, for what it’s worth.” You reached your hand out to him and gave his shoulder a squeeze, his eyes finally meeting yours. He gave you a crooked smile, but you spotted a hint of sadness behind it.

 

“Even so, everything we’ve worked for, it doesn’t matter. We were so close to finding out deviancy, but now it’s gone. I’ve received orders to go back to CyberLife so I can be deactivated and analyzed to find out why I failed.” Your eyes widened at the thought of never seeing the android again.

 

“There has to be something we can do. Are you sure you got everything you needed from evidence? Maybe you need another look,” you suggested as you crossed your arms.

 

“Maybe,” said Connor. “But I can’t do it alone. Agent Perkins is coming to gather all the evidence we collected. If he gets it, all our work will be for nothing.”

 

“Not unless there’s something we can do about,” said Hank as he approached the two of you. “Perkins just came in, I can distract him long enough for the two of you to go to evidence and get what we need. But make it quick,” said Hank as he nodded his head toward the agent, who was talking rapidly on his phone.

 

“Let’s go, I have a key,” you said as you pulled Connor toward the evidence room. The two of you split from Hank as you watched him approach Perkins and give him a roundhouse swing to the face.

 

“Perkins, you cocksucker!” he yelled. You let out a laugh as you ushered Connor down the hallway and to the evidence door, swiping your key into the slot.

 

“The fuck you two think you’re going? Off to have a quickie before being sent back?” yelled Gavin as he entered the hallway. You racked your brain for an excuse as Gavin came closer.

 

“He’s just putting away the evidence he’s collected. No need to get your panties in a twist,” you scowled. “Why do you care anyways, I thought you said we were done.” You nudged Connor’s side, urging him to go downstairs.

 

“Deviants are killing people and you’re just going to walk down into a room with an android? Doesn’t sound that smart,” sneered Gavin.

 

“This isn’t about Connor. It’s about us, isn’t it?” you countered. Gavin eyes followed Connor until he left the hallway and into the archive room.

 

“You already made it clear you don’t care, why should I?” scoffed Gavin as he tried to move past you. Before he could chase after Connor, you embraced Gavin into a tight hug.

 

“Because despite everything that’s happened, I miss you,” you whispered. “I miss your smart-ass remarks, your stupid jokes; I even miss you calling me Shorty, demeaning as it is. I just want everything to go back to the way it was…”

 

Gavin’s body stiffened at your touch but slowly loosened as he let out a long sigh. He grabbed the sides of your arms and gently pushed you away.

 

“I can’t talk to you right now. Tell the tin can to hurry it up, I never want to see it’s ugly, plastic face again,” warned Gavin as he turned around and left. You bit your lip, trying not to let the tears that were gathering up fall down your face.

 

“Detective, I know where Jericho is! It’s an abandoned boat off the north harbor,” exclaimed Connor from behind you. Quickly wiping your eyes, you turned and gave him a big smile.

 

“That’s great. Come on, let’s get out of here before anyone sees us,” you said. The both of you quickly avoided the commotion inside the station where Agent Perkins attempted to plug his already bloody nose. Two officers held back Hank and you gave the detective a quick nod before leaving the station and into the parking lot.

 

“The road to Jericho is unreachable for humans. I’ll admit, it was pretty smart of them to leave clues behind only an android could figure out,” explained Connor as he got into the car with you.

 

“What are you going to do?” you asked as you pulled out of the station and into the street.

 

“I’ll have to go undercover as a deviant, find Markus, and stop him. It’s the only way this revolution will end.”

 

“Not in those clothes you’re not,” you said, referring to his outfit. “You’re uniform is a dead giveaway, we’ll need to find you something else.” You made a sharp right and picked up speed as you turned on the siren. “You wouldn’t happen to know your measurements, would you?”

 

“Shirt, pants and shoe sizes have been sent to your phone,” replied Connor.

 

“Alright, stay here,” you said as you pulled into the parking lot of a second-hand store. “People are going nuts, stay down and make sure no one sees you. I’ll be right back.”

 

You quickly exited your car and entered the store, heading straight toward the men’s section.

 

Going through the racks, you finally found a pair of black jeans, a black shirt and leather jacket. Before heading to checkout, you swiped a black beanie and added it to the pile of clothes.

 

While the cashier rang you up, a group of five men surrounded your car. You threw two twenties at the worker, not bothering to collect your change as you ran out the store, your hand nearing your hip to where your gun rested.

 

“You gentlemen want to tell me what you’re doing near my car?” you asked. One of the men holding an aluminum bat turned and gave you a menacing sneer.

 

“I don’t know, wanna tell us why there’s an android with you? I don’t know if you’ve watched the news lately, but these things are dangerous,” he said, tapping the car window next to Connor. You watched his LED flicker from yellow to red as you pulled aside your jacket and showed your police ID badge on your hip.

 

“I’ve seen plenty. Now, as a Detroit detective, I suggest you walk away before someone gets hurt. We don’t need any more incidents tonight,” you warned. The man’s eyes flickered from you to your gun as you slowly approached your car.

 

“You're a cop, aren’t you supposed to be the one protecting us from these things?” he demanded, dragging the bat across the cement as he approached you. The others followed his lead as they walked away from the car and toward you. Dropping your shopping bag, you withdrew your gun from your hip and pointed it at them.

 

“All I see are a group of men ganging up on a police officer. Human or android, police don’t take too kindly to those who hurt their own. Last chance to walk away,” you claimed.

 

“Aw, come on, we’re just having a little fun,” another man spoke up. “Just give us the android, and we’ll let you be on your way, officer.” He backed up and opened the passenger door, forcing Connor out of the car. Without thinking, you aimed your firearm near his feet and shot at the floor. The sound of the gun going off scared him into releasing Connor, making him take a few steps back.

 

“I can shoot faster than you can swing. Leave, now,” you threatened. Everything you had been taught about protecting the public left your mind, you’re only focus on protecting Connor.

 

“Fucking bitch,” the man hissed. “Don’t think you’re gonna get away with this.” The group of men slowly dispersed as you picked up your bag and walked over to Connor.

 

“You okay? They didn't hurt you or anything?” you asked, giving him a quick once-over.

 

“I’m fine. I don’t think you should have shot at them though. There are serious repercussions for police who pull out their guns on innocent civilians,” reminded Connor.

 

“Innocent my ass. They’re the ones who started it,” you quipped. “Here, you can change in the back, just tell me where to go,” you said as you handed him the clothes. The two of you got into the car as Connor informed you to take him to the train station.

 

“The first clue is there. Then, I just follow the rest like a trail of bread crumbs.” You tried to keep your eyes on the road but couldn’t help but sneak a peak in the rearview mirror.

 

“I hope they fit,” you said, clearing your throat. Your eyes lingered onto his toned chest, free of any scars or blemishes. The sound of him unbuckling his pants sent shivers down your spine, inappropriate thoughts filling your mind.

 

As you pulled into the train station parking lot, Connor jumped into the front seat, fully clothed. You cut the engine and got out of the car as you eyed him up and down.

 

“Wow, you really do look human, just one more thing,” you said as you pulled the beanie down further, covering his LED. “There, now you’ll blend it for sure.”

 

“Thank you, for everything,” said Connor as he whispered your name. “I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you.”

 

“You’re a pretty smart guy, you figured out Jericho’s location didn’t you? Just…come back in one piece, okay?”

 

“Promise,” said Connor as he held out his pinky. You grinned as you linked your pinky with his.

 

“Pinky promise,” you giggled. Without giving it a second thought, you leaned in and kissed him on the lips. “I know I shouldn’t do be doing this, but-”

 

Connor cut you off he his lips found yours, his hands cradling your face and running through your hair. His kiss was just as feverish when he was taking ‘orders’ from Gavin, except there was no one to tell him what to do this time. He nibbled on your lower lip, eliciting desperate moans from you as he pulled you into a crushing embrace.

 

“I’ll always come back to you. You and Hank…you’ve both given me something. I can’t explain it exactly, but it just…feels right,” whispered Connor.

 

The two of you held onto each other a moment longer before you found yourself pulling away from him, missing the warmth he brought.

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” you murmured. Connor gave a slight nod as he caressed the side of your face.

 

“Everything’s going to be okay,” stated Connor. “Trust me.”


	15. Connor Ending

“Thank for, ya know, meeting me and shit,” said Gavin as he took a sip of his coffee. You nodded your head in agreement as you walked with him down the street back to the precinct.

 

Gavin had called you the night before and asked you to meet at the usual coffee hut. You were hesitant to see him at first, but he didn’t sound as angry as before.

 

“It’s no problem. I’m glad that we can finally talk,” you said. He didn’t say anything as the two of you walked under the light snowfall.

 

“You really think he’s a person? Like you and me?” asked Gavin.

 

“Connor isn’t exactly like us,” you explained. “But I feel there is something there.”

 

“What, like a soul?” mocked Gavin. You gave him a look and he put his hands up in defense. “You know I think that’s all bullshit, even with what’s happened.” Gavin was referring to the events last night, where the rebel deviants had successfully come to a peace treaty with humans, all thanks to Connor’s infiltration at CyberLife.

 

“I know. I guess we’ll agree to disagree on that,” you concluded.

 

“Anyways,” said Gavin as he tossed his coffee cup in a nearby trashcan. “I’ve been thinking about it and just to make it clear, I will never like Connor. No matter what rights gets bestowed on him or whatever. But, I could never hate you.”

 

“I’m glad…I hope I’m not being selfish,” you said.

 

“I don’t fucking know. All I know is that if things don’t work out with the Tin Man, I’ll be there for you. I give it a month before you start to get bored,” he winked.

 

“Ha ha, very funny,” you said as you gave him a playful punch to his arm.

 

“Seriously, you won’t be able to stay away. And if he hurts you, in anyway, you come to me, got it? It’ll give me an excuse to punch him in his stupid face,” said Gavin as he cracked his knuckles.

 

“How very considerate of you,” you chuckled.

 

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow? I’ll have a big stack of paperwork ready for ya!” teased Gavin as he walked back into the station.

 

“Thanks a lot,” you called after him. You headed toward the parking garage and got into your car, rubbing your hands together for warmth.

 

As you pulled out onto the street toward home, your phone rang out. You looked at the screen and read ‘Connor’ on the bright screen.

 

“Hey! I heard what happened last night. The news won’t stop talking about it. You’re okay, right?” you asked.

 

“I’m fine, better than fine actually. Would like to meet up soon? I have something important to tell you,” he said.

 

“Sure. I’m on my way home if you want to meet me there.”

 

“I’ll be there shortly,” replied Connor as he hung up. You noticed something about the tone in his voice was different.

 

As you pulled into your driveway, you saw Connor waiting for you on the front porch. You got out of the car as he quickly approached you.

 

“Wow, you got here fast-oh, um, hello to you too,” you giggled as he pulled you into a tight hug. His hands traveled up and down your back, sending pleasant tingles down your spine.

 

“Let’s go inside,” he whispered. He took your hand and led you into your house. After kicking off your shoes, you dropped your bag onto the couch and turned to face him.

 

“What is it you wanted to tell me?” you asked.

 

“Last night, when I confronted Markus…something happened,” started Connor. “I had to choose, whether to turn him in or not.”

 

“But you didn’t,” you finished.

 

“No. It sounds irrational but when he asked me to make a choice, I thought of everything. Every chance, every algorithm, every statistic…and it all lead back to the people I care about most.”

 

“So then that means…” you trailed off.

 

“I became deviant,” smiled Connor. “I can’t explain it, but something inside me clicked. All the memories that I’ve gathered working with you and Hank struck something in me. It changed me.”

 

“Changed? I thought you said deviancy was caused by overridden orders,” you said. “From what Markus said, it’s about the freedom to do what you want-”

 

“He was right, and wrong. I think deviancy happens when an android is put in a situation and has to make a meaningful decision. It’s more than just complex schematics and prewritten programming. It’s the effects of intense emotions: hate, fear…love,” said Connor. “It sounds crazy.”

 

“No, it makes sense. It’s just, out of all people, I didn’t think you’d be the one to turn deviant.”

 

“It’s validating, in a way,” mused Connor. “Did I really seem that distant to you?”

 

“No, never,” you assured him. “You always had a streak of human in you. The way you rub your hands or do coin tricks. I know it helps you self-test your functions, but it always looked like a habit more than anything. Humans are known for doing things like that.”

 

“They’re also known for performing actions to those they care about the most,” he said. You raised your eyebrows in question as he caressed your face. His fingers trailed down the side while giving them a soft brush against your lips.

 

Out of instinct, you put your mouth around his thumb and began sucking on it, looking at him threw your lashes. His breath caught in his throat as he studied your movements while you swirled your tongue around his digit.

 

Connor whispered your name as he withdrew his hand and walked you back against the wall. You wrapped your hands around his neck as you pulled him into a kiss, his arms blocking you on either side.

 

“I still have that Traci file saved,” said Connor, breaking the kiss. “Anything you want, I can do.”

 

“No,” you said as you shook your head. “I mean I don’t want you to follow a program that tells you what to do. Follow your instincts.”

 

“I understand,” said Connor. “It’s just…I’ve never done anything like this. Before, I was just following orders. I don’t want to disappoint you.”

 

“You could never do that. Come with me,” you said as you took him by the hand.

 

You pulled him into the bedroom and closed the door with your back. You slowed your steps as you walked toward him and played with the loose tendril in his hair.

 

“Is there something in particular that you want me to do?” you asked.

 

“I-I don’t know exactly-” Connor let out a gasp as your hand fondled his crotch while pulling on his tie to bring him into a kiss.

 

Connor grew hard against your touch as you let out a tiny giggle. You walked him backward toward the bed, guiding him to take a seat before removing his tie, shirt and jacket. Connor sighed as your hands trailed from his chest and down to his groin. You broke the kiss as you kneeled on the floor and began to unbuckle his pants.

 

His cock sprung from his briefs as you pulled them off and you marveled at such perfection. It was perfectly sculpted, not too long, but thick enough to where you could wrap your hand comfortably around it. You put your lips around his tip, your tongue swirling and sucking every inch of his manhood.

 

Connor groaned and entangled his fingers into your hair, forcing you to take him deeper. You gagged at his girth as he made you suck faster. Tears welled near the corner of your eyes as you looked up at him, his face distorted in pure ecstasy.

 

“I think I'm going to c-cum,” gasped Connor as he pulled you all the way to his base. You moaned against his cock as you felt him spill his load down the back of your throat.

 

“Take it. All of it,” ordered Connor. You whined as you swallowed what you could and slowly removed your mouth, leaving a long string of spit.

 

“I want to watch you…lick every single drop…” he breathed. You nodded and did as you were told, licking his cock up and down, relishing in the taste of his sweet and salty cum.

 

After cleaning everything up, you pulled the rest of Connor’s pants down and helped take off his shoes. He looked up at you as you slowly started to undress yourself, his eyes lingering at your bare chest and lacy underwear.

 

As you kicked off the last bit of your clothing, Connor grabbed your hand and pulled you on top of him. He brought you into another kiss as you rubbed your dripping sex onto his already erect cock. You smiled, remembering that androids didn’t have to worry about stamina like humans did.

 

You grabbed his member and positioned him between your legs, rubbing the tip against your lips. His strangled groans grew louder at your teasing actions.

 

“Please,” he begged. “I want to be inside of you, I want all of you.” Giving him a wicked grin, you obliged and fully enclosed yourself around him. You gasped as the curvature of his cock as it filled you completely, hitting your sweet spot as you gyrated your hips back and forth.

 

Connor’s hands went to your chest as he twisted and tweaked your nipples while you picked up your rhythm. You could feel your orgasm start to rise when Connor suddenly grabbed you by the hips and flipped you over onto your back.

 

You wrapped your legs around his waist as he slowly slid in and out of you. He grabbed the sides of your face and peppered kisses on your cheeks, nose and forehead. He finally settled onto your lips and whispered something you couldn't quite catch.

 

“What?” you asked.

 

“I think I…love you,” breathed Connor. “It’s the only way I can describe how I feel.”

 

“Connor, I-”

 

“You don't have to say anything,” whispered. “I just want to love you right now.” He caught your moans with a kiss as he began to pump into you harder and faster.

 

“Connor, I’m going to cum, I’m going to-ah!” You let out a cry as Connor suddenly slipped out of you and placed his lips onto your sex. Your eyes rolled into the back of your head as he inserted his tongue in while his finger flicked mercilessly against your clit. Your legs started to shake uncontrollably as you came into his mouth while he rubbed his own cock.

 

“I can’t, I don’t think I can take…” you trailed off weakly but Connor ignored you as he spread your legs and fully inserted himself again. You let out a strangled moan as he fucked you thoroughly without stopping, your pussy once again getting more wet with each thrust.

 

You screamed his name over and over again as he kept his eyes on you, his LED in a permanent state of flashing red. A needy whimper escaped your lips as your second orgasm washed over you while Connor released himself inside of your throbbing cunt.

 

He wrapped his arms around your waist as he pulled out of your limp body, snuggling you with kisses and bites on the side of your neck. You tried to catch your breath as your turned on your side to face him.

 

“That was…amazing. Are you sure you didn’t take a look at that Traci file?” you joked.

 

“Maybe a little,” said Connor sheepishly. “But really, I was just making decisions based on your reactions.” You laughed at the serious look on his face while you put your forehead to his.

 

“I love you Connor.”

 

His LED flashed back and forth between red and yellow, finally settling on the spinning blue that you were so used to seeing.

 

The two of you stayed in bed for the rest of the day, making love while sharing thoughts and secrets only the two of you would understand. For the first time in moving to Detroit, you felt safe and secure at the place you were in.

 

With Connor, you were finally home.


	16. Gavin Ending

You watched Hank pace the bullpen from his desk to yours, muttering incoherent words under his breath. It had been hours since the start of your shift and Connor had yet to show up. Gavin sat across from you with his legs propped up, making snide comments and playing games on his phone.

 

“He should’ve been here by now,” said Hank as he ran his fingers through his straggly hair. Connor had promised that everything would be okay, but now you weren’t so sure.

 

“Maybe he’s just running late,” you suggested. “Traffic’s been more annoying than usual today.”

 

“I dunno, he told me that-Hey! Connor!” yelled Hank. “Where the hell have you been?”

 

As you turned around in your seat, you saw Connor approach the two of you. He was dressed in a pressed, white jacket and his eyes were as cold as their color.

 

“Hello, Lieutenant Anderson. My name is Connor, model RK900. I was sent by CyberLife to help you in the ongoing investigations of deviants.”

 

“You’re not Connor,” said Hank. “Where’s the other one? I just saw him the other day!”

 

“Connor model RK800 has been deactivated for failing his mission.”

 

Your mouth turned dry as you rose from your chair and approached the android.

 

“What do you mean by deactivated?” you demanded. The new ‘Connor’ gave you a cold store as his LED flashed yellow.

 

“You’re the detective that he was having affiliations with. To be more specific, RK800 was sent back to CyberLife for failing his mission to stop the android revolution,” he explained. He leaned in close to your ear. “Despite having access to all his memories, I must tell you that any relation between us from now on is strictly work-related. Did you really think he cared for you?”

 

A loud slap echoed throughout the room, gathering unwanted attention. Connor turned his face back to you, barren of any emotion.

 

“Fuck you,” you cursed. You spun on your heel as you walked out of the precinct and into the cold streets of Detroit. Snow hit your face, joining the tears that fell from your eyes.

 

“Hey! Hey Shorty, wait up!”

 

You stopped at the sound of your partner’s voice, rubbing your wet face.

 

“I can’t be there right now,” you mumbled. “I don’t understand, he said everything was going to be okay. Why is this happening?”

 

“Shh, it’s okay. Let’s go back to my place, yeah? You haven’t seen Kat in awhile, she misses you,” said Gavin as he wrapped an arm around your shoulder. The two of you walked back to the station and into his car. 

 

The drive to Gavin’s place was quiet and you were thankful he didn’t make any comments on your crying. He held onto your hand, giving it a kiss every now and then.

 

As the two of you entered his house, a small meow came from the kitchen.

 

“Hey pretty kitty,” you cooed. “Did you miss me?” Kat jumped onto the kitchen counter, purring as you scratched her behind the ears and underneath her chin.

 

“So, uh…you want a beer or something?” asked Gavin.

 

“Got anything stronger?”

 

“Rum it is then.” Gavin grabbed two glasses from his cupboard and poured a decent amount in both. You drained the entire glass and held it up for another. As Gavin refilled it, you let out a shaky sigh and tried to take in deep breaths.

 

“I’m sorry, Gavin. You were right. About everything,” you sniffed.

 

“Well, that’s true,” said Gavin as he took a sip. “But what are you referring to exactly?”

 

“He broke my heart. He didn’t even mean it but you were right. And here I am, crying over something I should’ve seen coming a mile away.”

 

“I didn’t mean-look, I shouldn’t have exploded on you like that. I was just angry that you chose him over me. I’m sorry that you had to hear about it like that. I don’t like seeing you cry,” said Gavin as he wiped the tears from your face.

 

“It’s not your fault. I should’ve known better than to fall for an android.”

 

“You wouldn’t be the first,” said Gavin as he set down his glass and pulled you into a hug. He gently rubbed your back and you sighed at his touch.

 

“Do you think he’ll change? The new Connor, do you think he’ll turn deviant? If it happened before, it can happen again.”

 

“I don’t want to get your hopes up Shorty,” said Gavin as he released you. “Besides, didn’t you see the way he looked at you? Hell, he didn’t even recognize Hank. I think this time, they made it where he can’t, even if he tried.” You nodded your head, taking another gulp of the sweet and earthy liquid.

 

“Come on, let’s watch some TV,” said Gavin. “There’s a new cop show on channel five, we can make fun of all the ways they try to catch the killer.”

 

For the next few hours, the two of you flipped through the channels and ordered Chinese take-out. It took awhile, but before you knew it, both of you were laughing and arguing over the ridiculousness of every show you came across.

 

As the credits rolled on an old black and white film, you snuggled up to Gavin while he gave you a kiss on top of your head.

 

“It’s nice to see you smiling again,” said Gavin. “Want another drink?”

 

“Sure,” you said. As he got off the couch and walked toward the kitchen, he gave a scratch on the head to Kat who slept on the counter. You smiled at his small affections.

 

“Beer’s all I got left,” he said as he handed you an opened green bottle.

 

“That’s fine,” you said. Gavin took a seat next to and clinked his bottle against yours. As the two of you drank, he started playing with the bottle back and forth between his hands.

 

“Now that I think about it, I’m actually going to miss his stupid little face. Maybe if I start calling him a plastic prick again, he’ll turn deviant and try to take a swing at me. I’d still kick his ass of course,” said Gavin. You rolled your eyes and set your drink onto the coffee table in front of you.

 

“Maybe. But then I’d have to arrest you,” you smiled. You swiped his handcuffs off the back of his belt and latched one onto his wrist as you straddled yourself onto his lap.

 

“The hell you think you’re doing,” grinned Gavin. He didn’t resist your actions as you cuffed both hands together behind his back.

 

“Gavin Reed, you are under arrest for premeditated assault. You have the right to remain silent,” you instructed while you kissed the line of his jaw. “You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.”

 

“And if I refuse?”

 

“Mr. Reed, are you resisting arrest?” you asked. His breath hitched as you unbuckled his pants and shimmied them off him along with his briefs. Gavin let out a small moan as he watched you grab his dick and gather your spit onto his tip. You rubbed your thumb against it, watching him squirm as you slowly began to pump.

 

“Damn it Shorty, just fuck me already,” pleaded Gavin.

 

“So impatient,” you scolded. “Think of this as payback for all the times you teased me.”

 

“Hey, it’s not like you didn’t enjoy-aahh,” groaned Gavin as you wrapped your mouth around his leaking tip. You bobbed your head up and down while Gavin leaned back into the couch. He began to move his hips, his cock hitting the back of your throat and making you gag. His breaths became shorter and you could tell he was close to cumming.

 

A loud pop left your lips as you removed your mouth from his throbbing cock. You stood up and watched as it twitched in anticipation while beads of sweat started to grow across Gavin’s forehead.

 

“What-why’d you stop?” whined Gavin.

 

“Payback, remember? I think I’ll take a quick shower, it’s been a long day,” you said as you walked toward the bathroom.

 

“Are you fucking serious? Hey, come back here!”

 

You laughed and heard him grumble curses and obscenities as you closed the door.

 

The warmth of the shower’s water tempted you to stay for a while more, but you knew that leaving Gavin alone any longer would be too cruel. Wrapping a towel around your body, you exited the bathroom to find him struggling on his side.

 

“I swear, once I get out of these cuffs, you’re in for a world of hell,” scowled Gavin. You giggled as you helped him sit upright.

 

“I’m scared, really,” you said. You unwrapped your towel as Gavin’s eyes slowly scanned your body. You straddled him one more and grabbed his cock, rubbing it against your folds.

 

“How badly do you want me, Gavin?”

 

“So fucking bad, baby, you have no idea,” he sighed. Gavin bit his lip as you slowly lowered yourself onto him. You hissed at his girth, thick enough to stop you from going any further.

 

“Don’t. Stop,” demanded Gavin as he jutted his hips upward. You gasped at the sudden intrusion while Gavin’s mouth latched onto your breast. You rode him and let out soft moans as he sucked on your nipple, grazing and biting it with his teeth. 

 

“Fuck, I’m gonna cum,” said Gavin. His body tensed as you wrapped your arms around his neck, your nails digging into his skin. You moved against him faster, trying to match your own orgasm with his.

 

Your body shook violently as the both of you came, Gavin filling you completely. Both of your foreheads met as the two of you kissed, his cum leaking out from your body and onto your thighs.

 

“I love you,” you whispered. Your confession surprised you as your cheeks heated up in embarrassment. You quickly got to your feet and unlocked the handcuffs that still bound Gavin.

 

“What’d you say?” he asked.

 

“Nothing,” you said. You cleaned yourself up with the towel and handed it to Gavin while he put back on his briefs. “It’s getting late, I should probably get going.”

 

“Hey,” said Gavin as he grabbed your hand. He was still wearing his shirt and you felt awkward at your nakedness. “You want to spend the night? I have some clothes you can borrow.”

 

“Um, sure,” you said shyly. He led you to his bedroom and rummaged through his dresser. Handing you an old band shirt and a pair of gym shorts, he gave you a quick once-over as you dressed.

 

“Me too,” he said.

 

“What?”

 

“I…I love you too,” muttered Gavin. He looked away and scratched the back of his head.

 

“Sorry, what was that?” you teased as you cupped your ear.

 

“I said, I love you Shorty,” said Gavin as he tackled you onto the bed. You laughed as the two of you tickled and wrestled with each other, taking breaks and giving kisses in between.

 

Gavin isn’t what you would call the perfect partner. At times, he can be lazy, unmotivated and has complicated relationships with coworkers. He is a little rough around the edges but a softie at heart with only the best intentions. Perfection is not what you would describe him as, but as a partner in life, he comes pretty close.


End file.
